hole in the Garden and conveys all the Bags into it and covers them safely up His Sons the next Day coming to the Closet and finding all removed were not a little disappointed and troubl'd to think how they shou'd at least recover that Money which was lent 'em by their Friends to carry on this Design All the Difficulty lay in discovering where their Father had hid it and to do that nothing occurr'd that wou'd hold Water till Don Lopez concluded to make once more the Experiment of his Fear of Apparitions against the next Night therefore they prepared the Chamber for their Design and invited some of their Friends on purpose to make the old Gentleman drunk which having effected he was carefully carried to Bed and three or four Statues out of the Garden convey'd up into his Room and placed on each side and corner of his Bed with People behind 'em to flash and make lightning to discover to him these imaginary Spectres All things being in this Order a Mastiff Dog with a great Iron Chain was let into the Room the ratling of which in a little time waken'd the old Gentleman who began to pray very heartily but Fear still prevailing as in Despair made him think to get out of the Room when he heard the Noise on the other side of the Room the most distant from the Door On his first Motion to rise the Person behind the Image flash'd with his Lightning and discover'd a white pale Ghost to the frighted Miser So he started back into his Bed again and thus he was serv'd on each side till in Despair and ready to die with Fear he cou'd scarce utter so much as one Prayer Then he heard a Voice with a thousand Terrours and Threats demand him he having taken the price of his Soul in the Money he had removed The old Man replied with a thousand Crosses to guard himself That the Money was in such a place and that he wou'd surrender not only that but his own too to be at ease When they had thus got the Knowledge of the place where the Treasure was hid they easily in the Fear he was in convey'd away the Statues and left all things in Order as if nothing had happen'd and repairing to the Garden found the Money but took no more thence but what they had before put there The next Day the old Gentleman sends for them to his Chamber ill with the Fright and lets 'em know That he had thus long been in an Errour in setting his Mind on hoarded Bags which ought to be plac'd in Heav'n at his Years but having had various Warnings against it he now resolv'd a new Life and in order to that wou'd immediately settle his Affairs So he divided his Estate equally betwixt them and having found his own Sum of Money left as he thought by the Devil he gave a third part to charitable uses and divided the other betwixt his Sons and retir'd to a Monastery where he soon made a very Religious End The Sons having by these means gain'd their Point did not long deferr the Happiness for which they undertook this and thus was my Friend Lucilla and her Cousin made the most fortunate of our Sex if Love and Money cou'd make 'em so But I have been too long in this to add some pleasant Adventures of my own which I must defer till the next Opportunity having only room enough left to subscribe my self your Friend and Servant Astrea LETTER Dear Friend THO' our Courtiers will not allow me to do any great Matters with my Politicks I 'm sure you must grant that I have done so with my Eyes when I shall tell you I have made two Dutch-men in Love with me Dutch-men do you mind me that have no Soul for any thing but Gain that have no Pleasure but Interest or the Bottle but in Affairs of Love go to the most sacred part of it more brutally than the most sordid of their four-footed Brethren nay they are so far from the Warmth of Love that through their Flegmatick Mass there is not Fire enough to give 'em a vigorous Appetite so far are they from the fineness of a vehement Passion Yet I Sir this very numerical Person your Friend and humble Servant have set two of 'em into a Blaze Two of very different Ages I was going to say Degrees too but I remember there are no Degrees in Holland Vander Albert is about Thirty Two of a hail Constitution something more sprightly than the rest of his Country-men and tho' infinitely fond of his Interest and an irreconcilable Enemy to Monarchy has by the Force of Love been oblig'd to let me into some Secrets that might have done our King and if not our Court our Country no small Service But I shall say no more of this Lover till I see you for some particular Reasons which you shall then likewise know My other is about twice his Age nay and Bulk too tho' Albert be not the most barbary Shape you have seen You must know him by the Name of Van Bruin and was introduc'd to me by Albert his Kinsman and oblig'd by him to furnish me in his Absence with what Money or other things I shou'd please to command or have Occasion for as long as he staid at Antwerp where he was like to continue some time about a Law Suit then depending He had not visited me often before I began to be sensible of the Influence of my Eyes on this old piece of worm-eaten Touch-wood but he had not the Confidence and that 's much to tell me he lov'd me and Modesty you know is no common Fault of his Country-men Tho' I rather impute it to a Love of himself that he wou'd not run the Hazard of being turn'd into ridicule on so disproportion'd a Declaration he often insinuated that he knew a Man of Wealth and Substance tho' stricken indeed in Years and on that Account not so agreeable as a younger Man that was passionately in love with me Desir'd to know whether my Heart was so far engag'd that his Friend shou'd not entertain any hopes I reply'd That I was surpriz'd to hear a Friend of Albert's making an Interest in me for another that if Love were a Passion I was any way sensible of it cou'd never be for an old Man and much to that purpose But all this wou'd not do in a Day or Two I receiv'd this Eloquent Epistle from him for he had heard Albert praise my Wit and he thought that what he writ to one so qualify'd must be in an extraordinary Style which I shall give you as near as I can in our Language and which I indeed was indebted to an Interpreter my self for tho' 't was writ in French which I have some Knowledge of LETTER Most Transcendent Charmer I Have strove often to tell you the Tempests of my Heart and with my own Mouth scale the Walls of your Affections but terrified with the
God's sake to keep me well and if thou hast Love as I shall never doubt if thou art always as to Night shew that Love I beseech thee there being nothing so grateful to God and Mankind as Plain-dealing 'T is too late to conjure thee farther I will be purchas'd with Softness and dear Words and kind Expressions sweet Eyes and a low Voice Farewell I love thee dearly passionately and tenderly and am resolv'd to be eternally My only Dear Delight and Joy of my Life Thy Astrea LETTER VI. SInce you my dearest Lycidas have prescrib'd me Laws and Rules how I shall behave my self to please and gain you and that one of these is not Lying or Dissembling and that I had to Night promis'd you shou'd never have a tedious Letter from me more I will begin to keep my Word and stint my Heart and Hand I promis'd tho' to write and tho' I have no great Matter to say more than the Assurance of my Eternal Love to you yet to obey you and not only so but to oblige my own impatient Heart I must late as 't is say something to thee I stay'd after thee to Night till I had read a whole Act of my new Play too and then he led me over all the way saying Gad you were the Man And beginning some rallying Love-Discourse after Supper which he fancy'd was not so well receiv'd as it ought he said you were not handsome and call'd Philly to own it but he did not but was of my side and said you were handsome So he went on a while and all ended that concern'd you And this upon my Word is all Your Articles I have read over and do not like 'em you have broke one even before you have sworn or seal'd 'em that is they are writ with Reserves I must have a better Account of your Heart to Morrow when you come I grow desperate fond of you and wou'd fain be us'd well if not I will march off But I will believe you mean to keep your Word as I will for ever do mine Pray make hast to see me to Morrow and if I am not at home when you come send for me over the way where I have ingaged to Dine there being an Entertainment on purpose to Morrow for me For God's sake make no more Niceties and Scruples than need in your way of living with me that is do not make me believe this Distance is to ease you when indeed 't is meant to ease us both of Love and for God's sake do not misinterpret my Excess of Fondness and if I forget my self let the Check you give be sufficient to make me desist Believe me dear Creature 't is more out of Humour and Jest than any Inclination on my side for I could sit eternally with you without that part of Disturbance Fear me not for you are from that as safe as in Heaven it self Believe me dear Lycidas this Truth and trust me 'T is late Farewel and come for God's sake betimes to Morrow and put off your foolish Fear and Niceties and do not shame me with your perpetual ill Opinion my Nature is proud and insolent and cannot bear it I will be used something better in spight of all your Apprehensions falsly grounded Adieu keep me as I am ever yours Astrea By this Letter one would think I were the Nicest thing on Earth yet I know a dear Friend goes far beyond me in that unnecessary Fault LETTER VII My Charming Vnkind I Wou'd have gag'd my Life you cou'd not have left me so coldly so unconcerned as you did but you are resolv'd to give me Proofs of your No Love Your Counsel which was given you to Night has wrought the Effects which it usually do's in Hearts like yours Tell me no more you love me for 't will be hard to make me think it tho' it be the only Blessing I ask on Earth But if Love can merit a Heart I know who ought to claim yours My Soul is ready to burst with Pride and Indignation and at the same time Love with all his Softness assails me and will make me write so that between one and the other I can express neither as I ought What shall I do to make you know I do not use to condescend to so much Submission nor to tell my Heart so freely Though you think it Use methinks I find my Heart swell with Disdain at this Minute for my being ready to make Asseverations of the contrary and to assure you I do not nor never did love or talk at the rate I do to you since I was born I say I wou'd swear this but something rouls up my Bosom and checks my very Thought as it rises You ought Oh Faithless and infinitely Adorable Lycidas to know and guess my Tenderness you ought to see it grow and daily increase upon your Hands If it be troublesome 't is because I fancy you lessen whilst I encrease in Passion or rather that by your ill Judgment of mine you never had any in your Soul for me Oh unlucky oh vexatious Thought Either let me never see that Charming Face or ease my Soul of so tormenting an Agony as the cruel Thought of not being belov'd Why my Lovely Dear should I flatter you or why make more Words of my Tenderness than another Woman that loves as well wou'd do as once you said No you ought rather to believe that I say more because I have more than any Woman can be capable of My Soul is form'd of no other Material than Love and all that Soul of Love was form'd for my dear faithless Lycidas Methinks I have a Fancy that something will prevent my going to Morrow Morning However I conjure thee if possible to come to Morrow about Seven or Eight at Night that I may tell you in what a deplorable Condition you left me to Night I cannot describe it but I feel it and wish you the same Pain for going so inhumanely But oh you went to Joys and left me to Torments You went to Love alone and left me Love and Rage Fevers and Calentures even Madness it self Indeed indeed my Soul I know not to what degree I love you let it suffice I do most passionately and can have no Thoughts of any other Man whilst I have Life No! Reproach me Defame me Lampoon me Curse me and Kill me when I do and let Heaven do so too Farewel I love you more and more every Moment of my Life Know it and Goodnight Come to Morrow being Wednesday to my Adorable Lycidas your Astrea LETTER VIII WHy my dearest Charmer do you disturb that Repose I had resolved to pursue by taking it unkindly that I did not write I cannot disobey you because indeed I wou'd not tho' 't were better much for both I had been for ever silent I prophesie so but at the same time cannot help my Fate and know not what Force or Credit there is in the Vertue we both
Hot-headed vain-conceited of his Beauty and greater Quality as elder Brother he doubts not his Success and resolv'd to sacrifice all to the Violence of his new-born Passion In short he speaks of his Design to his Mother who promis'd him her Assistance and accordingly proposing it first to the Prince her Husband urging the Languishment of her Son she soon wrought so on him that a Match being concluded between the Parents of this young Beauty and Henrick's Brother the Hour was appointed before she knew of the Sacrifice she was to be made And while this was in Agitation Henrick was sent on some great Affairs up into Germany far out of the way not but his boding Heart with perpetual Sighs and Throbs eternally foretold him his Fate All the Letters he writ were intercepted as well as those she writ to him She finds herself every Day perplex'd with the Addresses of the Prince she hated he was ever sighing at her Feet In vain were all her Reproaches and all her Coldness he was on the surer side for what he found Love wou'd not do Force of Parents wou'd She complains in her Heart on young Henrick from whom she cou'd never receive one Letter and at last cou'd not forbear bursting into Tears in spite of all her Force and feign'd Courage when on a Day the Prince told her that Henrick was withdrawn to give him time to Court her to whom he said He confess'd he had made some Vows but did repent of 'em knowing himself too young to make 'em good That it was for that Reason he brought him first to see her and for that Reason that after that he never saw her more nor so much as took Leave of her when indeed his Death lay upon the next Visit his Brother having sworn to murther him and to that End put a Guard upon him 'till he was sent into Germany All this he utter'd with so many passionate Asseverations Vows and seeming Pity for her being so inhumanely abandon'd that she almost gave Credit to all he had said and had much adoe to keep herself within the Bounds of Moderation and silent Grief Her Heart was breaking her Eyes languish'd and her Cheeks grew pale and she had like to have fallen dead into the treacherous Arms of him that had reduc'd her to this Discovery but she did what she cou'd to assume her Courage and to shew as little Resentment as possible for a Heart like hers oppress'd with Love and now abandon'd by the dear Subject of its Joys and Pains But Madam not to tire you with this Adventure the Day arriv'd wherein our still weeping fair Unfortunate was to be sacrific'd to the Capriciousness of Love and she was carry'd to Court by her Parents without knowing to what End where she was almost compell'd to marry the Prince Henrick who all this while knew no more of his Unhappiness than what his Fears suggested returns and passes even to the Presence of his Father before he knew any thing of his Fortune where he beheld his Mistress and his Brother with his Father in such a Familiarity as he no longer doubted his Destiny 'T is hard to judge whether the Lady or himself was most surpriz'd she was all pale and unmovable in her Chair and Henrick fix'd like a Statue at last Grief and Rage took place of Amazement and he could not forbear crying out Ah Traytor Is it thus you have treated a Friend and Brother And you O perjur'd Charmer Is it thus you have rewarded all my Vows He cou'd say no more but reeling against the Door had fall'n in a Swoon upon the Floor had not his Page caught him in his Arms who was entring with him The good old Prince the Father who knew not what all this meant was soon inform'd by the young weeping Princess who in relating the Story of her Amour with Henrick told her Tale in so moving a manner as brought Tears to the Old Man's Eyes and Rage to those of her Husband he immediately grew jealous to the last Degree He finds himself in Possession 't is true of the Beauty he ador'd but the Beauty adoring another a Prince young and charming as the Light soft witty and raging with an equal Passion He finds this dreaded Rival in the same House with him with an Authority equal to his own and fancies where two Hearts are so entirely agreed and have so good an Understanding it would not be impossible to find Opportunities to satisfie and ease that mutual Flame that burnt so equally in both he therefore resolv'd to send him out of the World and to establish his own Repose by a Deed wicked cruel and unnatural to have him assassinated the first Opportunity he cou'd find This Resolution set him a little at ease and he strove to dissemble Kindness to Henrick with all the Art he was capable of suffering him to come often to the Apartment of the Princess and to entertain her oftentimes with Discourse when he was not near enough to hear what he spoke but still watching their Eyes he found those of Henrick full of Tears ready to flow but restrain'd looking all dying and yet reproaching while those of the Princess were ever bent to the Earth and she as much as possible shunning his Conversation Yet this did not satisfie the jealous Husband 't was not her Complaisance that cou'd appease him he found her Heart was panting within when ever Henrick approach'd her and every Visit more and more confirm'd his Death The Father often found the Disorders of the Sons the Softness and Address of the one gave him as much Fear as the angry Blushings the fierce Looks and broken Replies of the other when ever he beheld Henrick approach his Wife So that the Father fearing some ill Consequence of this besought Henrick to withdraw to some other Country or travel into Italy he being now of an Age that requir'd a View of the World He told his Father That he wou'd obey his Commands though he was certain that Moment he was to be separated from the sight of the fair Princess his Sister wou'd be the last of his Life and in fine made so pitiful a Story of his suffering Love as almost mov'd the old Prince to compassionate him so far as to permit him to stay but he saw inevitable Danger in that and therefore bid him prepare for his Journey That which pass'd between the Father and Henrick being a Secret none talk'd of his departing from Court so that the Design the Brother had went on and making an Hunting-match one Day where most young People of Quality were he order'd some whom he had hir'd to follow his Brother so as if he chanc'd to go out of the way to dispatch him and accordingly Fortune gave 'em an Opportunity for he lagg'd behind the Company and turn'd aside into a pleasant Thicket of Hazles where alighting he walk'd on Foot in the most pleasant part of it full of Thought how to
which the Princess us'd to read and went out again unseen and satisfied with her good Fortune As soon as Constantia was return'd she enter'd into her Cabinet and saw the Book open and the Verses lying in it which were to cost her so dear She soon knew the Hand of the Prince which was so familiar to her and besides the Information of what she had always fear'd she understood it was Agnes de Castro whose Friendship alone was able to comfort her in her Misfortunes who was the fatal Cause of it she read over the Paper an hundred times desiring to give her Eyes and Reason the Lye but finding but too plainly she was not deceiv'd she found her Soul possest with more Grief than Anger When she consider'd as much in Love as the Prince was he had kept his Torment secret After having made her Moan without condemning him the Tenderness she had for him made her shed a Torrent of Tears and inspir'd her with a Resolution of concealing her Resentment She would certainly have done it by a Vertue extraordinary if the Prince who missing his Verses when he wak'd and fearing they might fall into indiscreet Hands had not enter'd the Palace all troubl'd with his Loss and hastily going into Constantia's Apartment saw her fair Eyes all wet with Tears and at the same instant cast his own on the unhappy Verses that had escap'd from his Soul and now lay before the Princess He immediately turn'd pale at this sight and appear'd so mov'd that the generous Princess felt more Pain than he did Madam said he infinitely alarm'd from whom had you that Paper It cannot come but from the Hand of some Person answer'd Constantia who is an Enemy both to your Repose and mine it is the Work Sir of your own Hand and doubtless the Sentiment of your Heart But be not surpriz'd and do not fear for if my Tenderness should make it pass for a Crime in you the same Tenderness which nothing is able to alter shall hinder me from complaining The Moderation and Calmness of Constantia serv'd only to render the Prince more asham'd and confuss'd How Generous are you madam pursu'd he and how Vnfortunate am I. Some Tears accompanied his Words and the Princess who lov'd him with extream Ardor was so sensibly touch'd that it was a good while before she could utter a Word Constantia then broke Silence and shewing him what Elvira had caus'd to be written You are betray'd Sir added she you have been heard speak and your Secret is known It was at this very moment that all the Forces of the Prince abandon'd him and his Condition was really worthy Compassion He could not pardon himself the unvoluntary Crime he had committed in exposing of the lovely and the innocent Agnes And tho' he was convinc'd of the Vertue and Goodness of Constantia the Apprehensions that he had that this modest and prudent Maid might suffer by his Conduct carried him beyond all Consideration The Princess who heedfully surveyed him saw so many Marks of Despair in his Face and Eyes that she was afraid of the Consequences and holding out her Hand in a very obliging manner to him she said I promise you Sir I will never more complain on you and that Agnes shall always be very dear to me you shall never hear me make you any Reproaches And since I cannot possess your Heart I will content my self with endeavouring to render myself worthy of it Don Pedro more confus'd and dejected than before he had been bent one of his Knees at the Feet of Constantia and with respect kiss'd that fair kind Hand she had given him and perhaps forgot Agnes for a Moment But Love soon put a stop to all the little Advances of Hymen the fatal Star that presided over the Destiny of Don Pedro had not yet vented its Malignity and one Moment's sight of Agnes gave new Forces to his Passion The Wish and Desires of this charming Maid had no part in this Victory her Eyes were just tho' penetrating and they searched not in those of the Prince what they had a desire to discover to her As she was never far from Constantia Don Pedro was no sooner gone out of the Closet but Agnes entred and finding the Princess all pale and languishing in her Chair she doubted not but there was some sufficient Cause for her Affliction she put herself in the same Posture the Prince had been in before and expressing an Inquietude full of Concern Madam said she by all your Goodness conceal not from me the Cause of your Trouble Alas Agnes reply'd the the Princess what would you know And what should I tell you The Prince the Prince my dearest Maid is in Love the Hand that he gave me was not a Present of his Heart and for the Advantage of this Alliance I must become the Victim of it What! the Prince in Love replied Agnes with an Astonishment mixt with Indignation What Beauty can dispute the Empire over a Heart so much your due Alas Madam all the Respect I owe him cannot hinder me from murmuring against him Accuse him of nothing interrupted Constantia he does what he can and I am more obliged to him for desiring to be Faithful than if I possest his real Tenderness It is not enough to Fight but to Overcome and the Prince does more in the Condition wherein he is than I ought reasonably to hope for In fine he is my Husband and an agreeable one to whom nothing is wanting but what I cannot inspire that is a Passion which would have made me but too happy Ah Madam cry'd out Agnes transported with her Tenderness for the Princess he is a blind and stupid Prince who knows not the precious Advantages he possesses He must surely know something reply'd the Princess modestly But Madam reply'd Agnes Is there any thing not only in Portugal but in all Spain that can compare with you And without considering the charming Qualities of your Person can we enough admire those of your Soul My dear Agnes interrupted Constantia sighing she who robs me of my Husband's Heart has but too many Charms to plead his Excuse since it is Thou Child whom Fortune makes use of to give me the Killing Blow Yes Agnes the Prince loves thee and the Merit I know thou art possest of puts Bounds to my Complaints without suffering me to have the least Resentment The delicate Agnes little expected to hear what the Princess told her Thunder would have less surprized and less oppress'd her She remained a long time without speaking but at last fixing her Looks all frightful on Constantia What say you Madam cry'd she And what Thoughts have you of me What that I should betray you And coming hither only full of Ardor to be the Repose of your Life do I bring a fatal Poyson to afflict it What Detestation must I have for the Beauty they find in me without aspiring to make it appear And how ought I to
when a Lover ceases to be blest With the dear Object he desires Ah! How indifferent are the rest How soon their Conversation tires Though they a thousand Arts to please invent Their Charms are dull their Wit impertinent Ten a Clock Reading of Letters MY Cupid points you now to the Hour in which you ought to retire into your Cabinet having already past an Hour in Dressing and for a Lover who is sure not to appear before his Mistress even that Hour is too much to be so employ'd But I will think you thought of nothing less than Dressing while you were about it Lose then no more Minutes but open your Scrutore and read over some of those Billets you have receiv'd from me Oh! what Pleasures a Lover feels about his Heart in reading those from a Mistress he entirely loves The Joy Who but a Lover can express The Joys the Pants the Tenderness That the soft Amorous Soul invades While the dear Billet-doux he reads Raptures Divine the Heart o're-flow Which he that Loves not cannot know A thousand Tremblings thousand Fears The short-breath'd Sighs the joyful Tears The Transport where the Love 's confest The Change where Coldness is exprest The diff'ring Flames the Lover burns As those are shy or kind by Turns However you find 'em Damon construe 'em all to my Advantage Possibly some of 'em have an Air of Coldness something different from that Softness they are usually too amply fill'd with but where you find they have believe there that Sence of Honour and my Sexes Modesty guided my Hand a little against the Inclinations of my Heart and that it was a kind of an Atonement I believed I ought to make for something I feared I had said too kind and too obliging before But where-ever you find that stop that Check in my Career of Love you will be sure to find something that follows it to favour you and deny that unwilling Imposition upon my Heart which lest you should mistake Love shews himself in Smiles again and flatters more agreeably disdaining the Tyranny of Honour and Rigid Custom that Imposition on our Sex and will in spight of me let you see he Reigns absolutely in my Soul The reading my Billet-doux may detain you an Hour I have had Goodness enough to write you enough to entertain you so long at least and sometimes reproach my self for it but contrary to all my Scruples I find my self dispos'd to give you those frequent Marks of my Tenderness If yours be so great as you express it you ought to kiss my Letters a Thousand times you ought to read them with Attention and weigh every Word and value every Line A Lover may receive a Thousand indearing Words from a Mistress more easily than a Billet One says a great many kind Things of course to a Lover which one is not willing to write or to give testify'd under one's Hand Sign'd and Seal'd But when once a Lover has brought his Mistress to that degree of Love he ought to assure himself she loves not at the common Rate Love's Witness Slight unpremediated Words are born By every common Wind into the Air Carelesly utter'd die as soon as born And in one instant give both Hope and Fear Breathing all Contraries with the same Wind According to the Caprice of the Mind But Billets-doux are constant Witnesses Substantial Records to Eternity Just Evidence who the Truth confess On which the Lover safely may rely They 're serious Thoughts digested and resolv'd And last when Words are into Clouds devolv'd I will not doubt but you give Credit to all that is Kind in my Letters and I will believe you find a Satisfaction in the Entertainment they give you and that the Hour of Reading 'em is not disagreeable to you I cou'd wish your Pleasure might be extream even to the Degree of suffering the Thought of my Absence not to diminish any part of it And I cou'd wish too at the End of your Reading you wou'd sigh with Pleasure and say to your self The Transport O Iris While you thus can charm While at this Distance you can wound and warm My absent Torments I will bless and bare That give me such dear Proofs how kind you are Present the valu'd Store was only seen Now I am rifling the bright Mass within Every dear past and happy Day When Languishing at Iris Feet I lay When all my Prayers and all my Tears cou'd move No more then her Permission I should love Vain with my Glorious Destiny I thought beyond scarce any Heaven cou'd be But Charming Maid now I am taught That Absence has a thousand Joys to give On which the Lovers present never thought That recompence the Hours we grieve Rather by Absence let me be undone Than forfeit all the Pleasures that has won With this little Rapture I wish you wou'd finish the Reading my Letters shut your Scrutore and quit your Cabinet for my Love leads to Eleven a Clock Eleven a Clock The Hour to Write in IF my Watch did not inform you 't is now time to Write I believe Damon your Heart wou'd and tell you also that I should take it kindly if you would employ a whole Hour that way and that you should never lose an Occasion of writing to me since you are assured of the Welcome I give your Letters Perhaps you will say an Hour is too much and that 't is not the Mode to write long Letters I grant you Damon when we write those indifferent ones of Gallantry in course or necessary Compliment the handsom comprizing of which in the fewest words renders 'em the most agreeable But in Love we have a Thousand foolish things to say that of themselves bear no great Sound but have a mighty Sence in Love for there is a peculiar Eloquence natural alone to a Lover and to be understood by no other Creature To those Words have a thousand Graces and Sweetnesses which to the Unconcerned appears Meanness and Easie Sense at the best But Damon you and I are none of those ill Judges of the Beauties of Love we can penetrate beyond the Vulgar and perceive the fine Soul in every Line through all the humble Dress of Phrase when possibly they who think they discern it best in florid Language do not see it at all Love was not born or bred in Courts but Cottages and nurs'd in Groves and Shades smiles on the Plains and wantons in the Streams all unador'd and harmlâ—â—â— Therefore Damon do not consult your Wit in this Affair but Love alone and speak all that he and Nature taught you and let the fine Things you learn in Schools alone Make use of those Flowers you have gather'd there when you converse with States-men and the Gown Let Iris possess your Heart in all its simple Innocence that 's the best Eloquence to her that loves and this is my Instruction to a Lover that would succeed in his Amours for I have a Heart very difficult
and by 〈…〉 understand they are already enâ—◠〈…〉 directing 'em to Fools that will possible 〈◊〉 to 'em and credit such Stuff 〈…〉 out of a Folly so infamous and disinâ—â—â—â—â— In such a Case only I am willing you 〈◊〉 own your Passion not that you need tell 〈◊〉 Object which has charm'd you And you 〈◊〉 say you are already a Lover without 〈◊〉 you are belov'd For so long as you 〈…〉 have a Heart unengag'd you are exâ—◠〈◊〉 all the little Arts and Addresses of this 〈◊〉 obliging Procurers of Love and give 〈…〉 hope they have of making you their 〈…〉 For your own Reputation then and 〈…〉 and Honour shun such Conversations for they are neither credible to you nor pleasing to me And believe me Damon a true lover has no Curiosity but what concerns his Mistress Five a Clock Dangerous Visits I Foresee or fear that these busie impertinent Friends will oblige you to 〈…〉 Ladies of their Acquaintance or 〈…〉 My Watch does not forbid you Yet I must tell you I apprehend Danger in such Visits 〈◊〉 I fear you will have need of all your 〈◊〉 and Precaution in these Encounters That you may give me no Cause to suspect you perhaps you will argue that Civility obliges you to 't If I were assur'd there wou'd no other Design be carried on I shou'd believe it were to advance an amorous Prudence too far to forbid you Only keep yourself upon your Guard for the Business of most part of the Fair Sex is to seek only the Conquest of Hearts All their Civilities are but so many Interests and they do nothing without Design And in such Conversations there is always a Je ne scay quoy that is fear'd especially when Beauty is accompanied with Youth and Gaiety and which they assume upon all Occasions that may serve their Turn And I confess 't is not an easie matter to be just in these Hours and Conversations The most certain Way of being so is to imagine I read all your Thoughts observe all your Looks 〈◊〉 hear all your Words The Caution My Damon if your Heart be kind Do not too long with Beauty stay For there are certain Moments when the Mind Iss hurry'd by the Force of Charms away 〈…〉 a Minute Critical there lies 〈…〉 on Love and takes you by Surprize â— Lover pleas'd with Constancy 〈◊〉 still as if the Maid he lov'd were by 〈◊〉 if his Actions were in View As if his Steps she did pursue Or that his very Soul she knew 〈…〉 for tho' I am not present there My Love my Genius waits you every-where I am very much pleas'd with the Remedy you say you make use of to defend yourself from the Attacks that Beauty gives your Heart which in one of your Billets you said was this 〈◊〉 to this purpose The Charm for Constancy 〈◊〉 to keep my Soul entire and true It thinks each Moment of the Day on you And when a charming Face I see That does all other Eyes incline It has no influence on me I think it ev'n deform'd to thine My Eyes my Soul and Sense regardless move To all but the dear Object of my Love But Damon I know all Lovers are naturally Flatterers though they do not think so themselves because every one makes a Sense of Beauty according to his own Fancy But perhaps you will say in your own Defence That 't is not Flattery to say an unbeautiful Woman it beautiful if he that says so believes she is so I shou'd be content to acquit you of the 〈◊〉 provided you allow me the last And if I appear charming in Damon's Eyes I am not fond of the Approbation of any other 'T is enough the World thinks me not altogether disagreeable to justifie his Choice but let your good Opinion give what Increase it pleases to my Beauty though your Approbation give me a Pleasure it shall not a Vanity and I am contented that Damon should think me a Beauty without thy believing I am one 'T is not to draw new Assurances and new Vows from you that I speak this though Tales of Love are the only ones we desire to hear often told and which never the the Hearers if addrest to themselves But 't is not to this End I now seem to doubt what you say to my Advantage No my Heart knows no Disguise nor can dissemble one Thought of it to Damon 't is all sincere and honest as his Wish 'T is therefore it tells you it does not credit every thing you say though I believe you say abundance of Truths in a great Part of my Character But when you advance to that which my own Sense my Judgment or my Glass cannot perswade me to believe you must give me leave either to believe you think me vain enough to credit you or pleas'd that your Sentiments and mine are differing in this Point But I doubt I may rather reply in some Verses a Friend of yours and mine sent to a Person she thought had but indifferent Sentiments for her yet who nevertheless flatter'd her because he imagin'd she had a very great Esteem for him She is a Woman that you know naturally hates 〈◊〉 On the other side she was extreamly dissâ—â—isfy'd and uneasie at his Opinion of his being more in her Favour than she desir'd he shou'd believe So that one Night having left her full of Pride and Anger she next Morning sent him these Verses instead of a Billet-doux The Defiance By Heaven 't is false I am not vain And rather wou'd the Subject be Of your Indifference or Disdain Than Wit or Raillery Take back the trifling Praise you give And pass it on some easier Fool Who may th' injuring Wit believe That turns her into Ridicule Tell her she 's witty fair and gay With all the Charms that can subdue Perhaps she 'll credit what you say But curse me if I do If your Diversion you design On my good Nature you have prest Or if you do intend it mine You have mistook the Jest. Philander fly that guilty Art Your charming facil Wit will find It cannot play on a Heart That is sincere and kind For Wit with Softness does reside Good Nature is with Pity stor'd But Flatt'ry's the Result of Pride And fawns to be Ador'd Nay even when you smile and bow T is to be render'd more compleat Your Wit with ev'ry Grace you shew Is but a Popular Chat. Laugh on and call me Coxcomb do And your Opinion to improve Think all you think of me is true And to confirm it swear I love Then while you wreck my Soul with Pain And of a cruel Conquest boast 'T is you Philander that are vain And witty at my cost Possibly the angry Aminta when she writ these Verses was more offended that he believ'd himself belov'd than that he flatter'd tho' she wou'd seem to make that a great part of the Qsuarrel and Cause of her Resentment For we are often in an Humour to seem
unpardonable if you suffer me to hear it from any other And be assur'd while you confess it I shall be indulgent enough to forgive you The noblest Quality of Man is Sincerity and Damon one ought to have as much of it in Love as in any other Business of one's Life notwithstanding the most part of Men make no Account of it there but will believe there ought to be double Dealing and an Art practis'd in Love as well as in War â—ut Oh! beware of that Notion Sincerity Sincerity Thou greatest Good Thou Vertue which so many boast And art so nicely understood And often in the Searching lost For when we do approach thee near The fine Idea fram'd of thee Appears not now so charming fair As the most useful Flattery Thou hast no Glitt'ring to invite Nor tak'st the Lover at first Sight The modest Vertue shuns the Croud And lives like Vestals in a Cell In Cities 't will not be allow'd Nor takes Delight in Courts to dwell 'T is Nonsence with the Man of Wit And ev'n a Scandal to the Great For all the Young and Fair unfit And scorn'd by wiser Fops of State 〈…〉 as never known To the false 〈◊〉 or the falsâ—r Gown And Damon tho' thy Noble Blood Be most Illustr'ous and Refin'd Tho' ev'ry Grace and ev'ry Good Adorn thy Person and thy Mind 〈◊〉 if this Vertue shine not there This God-like Vertue which alone Wer't thou less Witty Brave or Fair Wou'd for all these less priz'd attone My tender Folly I 'd controul 〈◊〉 scorn the Conquest of thy Soul Eight a Clock Impatient Demands AFter you have sufficiently recollected your self of all the past Actions of the Day call your Page into your Cabinet or him whom you trusted with your last Letter to me where you ought to enquire of him a thousand things and all of me Ask impatiently and be angry if he answers not your Curiosity soon enough Think that he has a Dreaming in his Voice in these Moments more than at other times and reproach him with Dulness For 't is most certain that when one loves tenderly we wou'd know in a Minute what cannot be related in an Hour Ask him How I did How I receiv'd his Letter And if he examin'd the Air of my Face when I took it If I blush'd or look'd pale If my Hand trembled or I spoke to him with short interrupting Sighs If I ask'd him any Questions about you while I was opening the Seal Or if I cou'd not well speak and was silent If I read it attentively and with Joy And all this before you open the Answer I have sent you by him Which because you are impatient to read you with the more Haste 〈◊〉 Earnestness demand all you expect from him and that you may the better know what Humour I was in when I writ that to you For Oh! A Lover has a thousand little Fears and Dreads he knows not why In fine make him recount to you all that past while he was with me And then you ought to read that which I have sent that you may inform your self of all that passes in my Heart for you may assure your self all that I say to you that way proceeds from thence The Assurance How shall a Lover come to know Whether he 's belov'd or no What dear Things must she impart To assure him of her Heart Is it when her Blushes rise And she languish in her Eyes Tremble when he does approach Look pale and faint at every touch Is it when a thousand ways She does his Wit and Beauty praise 〈◊〉 venture to explain 〈◊〉 moving Words a Pain 〈◊〉 so indiscreet she grows To confirm it with her Vows These some short-liv'd Passion moves 〈…〉 Object 's by she loves 〈…〉 and sudden Fire 〈…〉 by some fond Desire 〈◊〉 Goldness will ensue When the Lover's out of View Then she reflects with Scandal o'er 〈◊〉 Scene that past before 〈◊〉 with Blushes wou'd recal 〈◊〉 unconsid'ring Criminal 〈…〉 thousand Faults she 'll find 〈◊〉 bide the Errors of her Mind 〈…〉 weight is found in words As no substantial Faith affords Deceiv'd and briff'd all may be 〈◊〉 that frail Security But a well-digested Flame That will always be the same And that does from Merit grow Establish'd by our Reason too By a better way will prove 'T is th' unerring Fire of Love Lasting Records it will give And that all she says may live Sacred and Authentick stand Her Heart confirms it by her Hand If this a Maid well born allow Damon believe her just and true Nine a Clock Melancholy Reflections YOU will not have much trouble 〈…〉 what my Watch designs here 〈…〉 be no Thought more afflicting than that 〈…〉 Absence of a Mistress and which the 〈…〉 of the Heart will soon make you finde◠〈◊〉 Thousand Fears oppress him he is jealous of every Body and envies those Eyes and 〈◊〉 that are charm'd by being near the 〈…〉 dor'd He grows impatient and makes a 〈◊〉 sand Resolutions and as soon abandâ—â—◠〈◊〉 He gives himself wholly up to the 〈…〉 Incertainty and by degrees from 〈…〉 Thought to another winds himself 〈…〉 supportable Chagrin Take this 〈…〉 think on your Misfortunes which 〈…〉 small to a Soul that is wholly sensible of Love And every one knows that a Love◠〈◊〉 of the Object of his Heart is depriv'd of 〈…〉 World and Inconsolable For though 〈…〉 wishes without ceasing for the dear 〈…〉 one loves and though you speak of her every Minute though you are writing to her every Day and though you are infinitely pleas'd with the dear and tender Answers yet to speak sincerely it must be confess'd that the Felicity of a true Lover is to be always near his Mistress And you may tell me O Damon what you please and say that Absence inspires the Flame which perpetual Presence would fatiate I love too well to be of that Mind and when I am I shall believe my Passion is declining I know not whether it advances your Love but surely it must ruine your Repose And is it impossible to be at once an absent Lover and happy too For my part I can meet with nothing that can please in the absence of Damon but on the contrary I see all things with Disgust I will flatter my self that 't is so with you and that the least Evils appear great Misfortunes and that all those who speak to you of any thing but of what you love increase your Pain by a new remembrance of her Absence I will believe that these are your Sentiments you are assur'd not to see me in some Weeks and if your Heart do not betray your Words all those Days will be tedious to you I would not however have your Melancholy too extream and to lessen it you may perswade yourself that I partake it with you for I remember in your last you told me you would wish we should be both griev'd at the same time and both at the same
to make the World find all the noble Force of delicate Passion For O my Iris what wou'd Love signifie if we did not love fervently Sisters and Brothers Love Friends and Relations have Affections but where the Souls are joyn'd which are fill'd with eternal soft Wishes Oh! there is some Excess of Pleasure which cannot be exprest Your Looks your dear obliging Words and your charming Letters have sufficiently perswaded me of your Tenderness and you might surely see the Excess of my Passion by my Cares my Sighs and entire Resignation 〈◊〉 your Will I never think of Iris but 〈◊〉 Heart feels double Flames and pants and heaves with double Sighs and whose 〈◊〉 makes its Ardors known by a thousand 〈◊〉 sports And they are very much to blame 〈◊〉 give the Name of Love to feeble easie Passions Such transitory tranquil Inclinations are at best but Well-wishers to Love and a Heart that has such Heats as those ought not put it 〈◊〉 into the Rank of those nobler Victims that are offer'd at the Shrine of Love But our Souls Iris burn with a more glorious Flame 〈◊〉 lights and conducts us beyond a Possibility of losing one another 'T is this that 〈…〉 my Hopes 'T is this alone makes me believe myself worthy of Iris And let her judge of its Violence by the Greatness of its Spleâ—dour Does not a Passion of this Nature so true 〈◊〉 ardent deserve to be crown'd And will 〈◊〉 wonder to see over this Cypher a 〈…〉 Myrtles those Boughs so sacred to th◠〈◊〉 of Love and so worshipt by Lovers 'T is with these soft Wreaths that those are crown'd who understand how to love well and faithfully The Smiles the Graces and the Sports That in the sacred Groves maintain their Courts Are with these Myrtles crown'd Thither the Nymphs their Garlands bring Their Beauties and their Praises sing While Ecchoe's do the Songs resound 〈◊〉 tho' a God with Myrtle Wreaths 〈◊〉 his soft Temples bind More valu'd are those consecrated Leaves Thâ—n the bright Wealth in Eastern Rocks confin'd And Crowns of Glory less Ambition move 〈◊〉 those more sacred Diadems of Love The Second CYPHER IS crown'd with Olives and I add to the two Letters of our Names an R and an L for Reciprocal Love Every time that I have given you O lovely Iris Testimonies of my Passion I have been so blest as to receive some from your Bounty and you have been pleas'd to flatter me with a Belief that I was not indifferent to you I dare therefore say that being honour'd with the Glory of your Tenderness and Care I ought as a Trophy of my illustrious Conquest to adorn the Watch with a Cypher that is so advantageous to me Ought I not to esteem myself the most fortunate and happy of Mankind to have exchang'd my Heart with so charming and admirable a Person as Iris Ah! how sweet how precious is the Change and how vast a Glory arrives to me from it Oh! you must not wonder if my Soul abandon itself to a thousand Extasies In the Merchandize of Hearts Oh! how dear it is to receive as much as one gives and better Heart for Heart Oh! I wou'd not receive mine again for all the Crowns the Universe contains Nor ought you my Adorable make any Vows or Wishes ever to retrieve yours or shew the least Repentance for the Blessing you have given me The Exchange we made was confirm'd by a noble Faith and you ought to believe you have bestow'd it well 〈◊〉 you are paid for it a Heart that is so conforâ—able to yours so true so just and so full of Adoration And nothing can be the just Recompence of Love but Love and to enjoy the true Felicity of it our Hearts ought to keep an equal Motion and like the Scales â—f Justice always hang even 'T is the Property of Reciprocal Love to make the Heart feel the Delicacy of Love and to give the Lover all the Ease and Softness he can reasonably hope Such a Love renders all things advantageous and prosperous Such a Love triumphs over all other Pleasures And I put a Crown of Olives over the Cypher of Reciprocal Love to make known that two Hearts where Love is justly equal enjoy a Peace that nothing can disturb Olives are never fading seen But always flourishing and green The Emblem 't is of Love and Peace For love that 's true will never cease And Peace does Pleasure still increase Joy to the World the Peace of Kings imparts And Peace in Love distributes it to Hearts The Third CYPHER THE C and the L which are joyn'd to the Letters of our Names in this Cypher crown'd with Laurel explains a constant Love It will not my fair Iris suffice that my Love is extream my Passion violent and my Wishes fervent or that our Loves are reciprocal But it ought also to be constant for in Love the Imagination is oftner carried to those things that may arrive and which we wish for than to things that Time has robb'd us of And in those agreeable Thoughts of Joys to come the Heart takes more delight to wander than in all those that are past though the Remembrance of 'em are very dear and very charming We shou'd be both unjust if we were not perswaded we are possest with a Vertue the Use of which is so admirable as that of Constancy Our Loves are not of that sort that can finish or have end but such a Passion so perfect and so constant that it will be a President for future Ages to love perfectly and when they wou'd express an extream Passion they will say They lov'd as Damon did the charming Iris. And he that knows the Glory of constant Love will despise those fading Passions those little Amusements that serve for a Day What Pleasure or Dependance can one have in a Love of that sort What Concern What Raptures can such an Amour produce in a Soul And what Satisâ—â—ction can one promise one's self in playing with a false Gamester who though you are aware of him in spight of all your Precaution puts the false Dice upon you and wins all Those Eyes that can no better Conquest make Let 'em ne'r look abroad Such but the empty Name of Lovers take And so prophane the God Better they never shou'd pretend Than e'er begun to make an End Of that fond Flame what shall we say That 's born and languish'd in a Day Such short-liv'd Blessings cannot bring The Pleasure of an Envying Who is 't will celebrate that Flame That 's damn'd to such a scanty Fame While constant Love the Nymphs and Swains Still sacred make in lasting Strains And chearful Lays throughout the Plains A constant Love knows no Decay But still advancing e'ery Dâ—â— Will last as long as Life can stay With e'ery Look and Smile improves With the same Ardour always moves With such as Damon charming Iris loves Constant Love finds it self impossible to be sâ—ken it resists the Attacks
was then if I may say so in real Agonies for your Departure 'T is a wonder a Woman so violent in all her Passions as I did not forgetting all Prudence all Considerations fly out into absolute Commands or at least Entreaties that you would give me a Moment's time longer I burst to speak with you to know a thousand things but particularly how you came to be so barbarous as to carry away all that cou'd make my Satisfaction You carry'd away my Letter and you carry'd away Lycidas I will not call him mine because he has so unkindly taken himself back 'T was with that Design you came for I saw all night with what reluctancy you spoke how coldly you entertain'd me and with what pain and uneasiness you gave me the only Conversation I value in the World I am asham'd to tell you this I know your peevish Vertue will mis-interpret me But take it how you will think of it as you please I am undone and will be free I will tell you you did not use me well I am ruin'd and will rail at you Come then I conjure you this Evening that after it I may shut those Eyes that have been too long waking I have committed a thousand Madnesses in this but you must pardon the Faults you have created Come and do so for I must see you to Night and that in a better Humour than you were last Night No more obey me as you have that Friendship for me you profess and assure your self to find a very welcome Reception from Lycidas Your Astrea LETTER III. WHEN shall we understand one another For I thought dear Lycidas you had been a Man of your Parole I will as soon believe you will forget me as that you have not remember'd the Promise you made me Confess you are the teazingest Creature in the World rather than suffer me to think you neglect me or wou'd put a slight upon me that have chosen you from all the whole Creation to give my entire Esteem to This I had assur'd you Yesterday but that I dreaded the Effects of your Censure to Day and though I scorn to guard my Tongue as hoping 't will never offend willingly yet I can with much adoe hold it when I have a great mind to say a thousand things I know will be taken in an ill sence Possibly you will wonder what compells me to write what moves me to send where I find so little Welcome nay where I meet with such Returns it may be I wonder too You say I am chang'd I had rather almost justifie an Ill than Repent maintain false Arguments than yield I am i' th' Wrong In fine Charming Friend Lycidas whatever I was since you knew me believe I am still the same in Soul and Thought but that is what shall never hurt you what shall never be but to serve you Why then did you say you wou'd not sit near me Was that my Friend was that the Esteem you profess Who grows cold first Who is chang'd and Who the Aggressor 'T is I was first in Friendship and shall be last in Constancy You by Inclination and not for want of Friends have I plac'd highest in my Esteem and for that Reason your Conversation is the most acceptable and agreeable of any in the World and for this Reason you shun mine Take your course be a Friend like a Foe and continue to impose upon me that you esteem me when you flie me Renounce your false Friendship or let me see you give it entire to Astrea LETTER IV. I Had rather dear Lycidas set my self to write to any Man on Earth than you for I fear your severe Prudence and Discretion so nice may make an ill Judgment of what I say Yet you bid me not dissemble and you need not have caution'd me who so naturally hate those little Arts of my Sex that I often run on freedoms that may well enough bear a Censure from People so scrupulous as Lycidas Nor dare I follow all my Inclinations neither nor tell all the little Secrets of my Soul Why I write them I can give no account 't is but fooling my self perhaps into an Undoing I do but by this soft Entertainment rook in my Heart like a young Gamester to make it venture its last Stake This I say may be the Danger I may come off unhurt but cannot be a Winner Why then shou'd I throw an uncertain Cast where I hazard all and you nothing Your stanch Prudence is Proof against Love and all the Bank's on my side You are so unreasonable you wou'd have me pay where I have contracted no Debt you wou'd have me give and you like a Miser wou'd distribute nothing Greedy Lycidas Unconscionable and Ungenerous You wou'd not be in Love for all the World yet wish I were so Uncharitable Wou'd my Fever Cure you or a Curse on me make you Bless'd Say Lycidas Will it I have heard when two Souls kindly meet 't is a vast Pleasure as vast as the Curse must be when Kindness is not equal and why shou'd you believe that necessary for me that will be so very incommode for you Will you Dear Lycidas allow then that you have less Good-nature than I Pray be Just till you can give such Proofs of the contrary as I shall be Judge of or give me a Reason for your Ill-nature So much for Loving Now as you are my Friend I conjure you to consider what Resolution I took up when I saw you last which methinks is a long time of seeing no Man till I saw your Face again and when you remember that you will possibly be so kind as to make what haste you can to see me again Till then have Thoughts as much in favour of me as you can for when you know me better you will believe I merit all May you be impatient and uneasie till you see me again and bating that may all the Blessings of Heaven and Earth light on you is the continued Prayers of Dear Lycidas Your True Astrea LETTER V. THough it be very late I cannot go to bed but I must tell thee I have been very Good ever since I saw thee and have been a writing and have seen no Face of Man or other Body save my own People I am mightily pleas'd with your Kindness to me to Night and 't was I hope and believe very innocent and undisturbing on both sides My Lycidas says He can be soft and dear when he please to put off his haughty Pride which is only assum'd to see how far I dare love him ununited Since then my Soul's Delight you are and may ever be assur'd I am and ever will be yours befall me what will and that all the Devils of Hell shall not prevail against thee Shew then I say my dearest Love thy native sweet Temper Shew me all the Love thou hast undissembl'd then and never till then shall I believe you love and deserve my Heart for
Title and took his Place accordingly After that he travell'd for about six Years up and down the World and then arriv'd at Antwerp about the time of my being sent thither by His late Majesty Perhaps there could be nothing seen so magnificent as this Prince He was as I said extreamly handsome from Head to Foot exactly form'd and he wanted nothing that might adorn that native Beauty to the best Advantage His Parts were suitable to the rest He had an Accomplishment fit for a Prince an Air haughty but a Carriage affable easie in Conversation and very Entertaining Liberal and Good-natur'd Brave and Inoffensive I have seen him pass the Streets with twelve Foot-men and four Pages the Pages all in green Velvet Coats lac'd with Gold and white Velvet Trunks the Men in Cloth richly lac'd with Gold his Coaches and all other Officers suitable to a Great Man He was all the Discourse of the Town some laughing at his Title others reverencing it Some cry'd that he was an Impostor others that he had made his Title as plain as if Tarquin had reign'd but a Year ago Some made Friendships with him others wou'd have nothing to say to him but all wonder'd where this Revenue was that supported this Grandeur and believ'd though he cou'd make his Descent from the Roman Kings very well out that he cou'd not lay so good a Claim to the Roman Land Thus every Body medled with what they had nothing to do and as in other places thought themselves on the surer side if in these doubtful Cases they imagin'd the worst But the Men might be of what Opinion they pleas'd concerning him the Ladies were all agreed that he was a Prince and a young handsome Prince and a Prince not to be resisted He had all their Wishes all their Eyes and all their Hearts They now dress'd only for him and what Church he grac'd was sure that Day to have the Beauties and all that thought themselves so You may believe our amorous Miranda was not the last Conquest he made She no sooner heard of him which was as soon as he arriv'd but she fell in love with his very Name Jesu A young King of Rome Oh 't was so novel that she doated on the Title and had not car'd whether the rest had been Man or Monkey almost She was resolv'd to be the Lucretia that this young Tarquin shou'd ravish To this End she was no sooner up the next Day but she sent him a Billet Deaux assuring him how much she admir'd his Fame and that being a Stranger in the Town she begg'd the Honour of introducing him to all the Belle-Conversations c. Which he took for the Invitation of some Coquet who had Interest in fair Ladies and civilly return'd her an Answer that he wou'd wait on her She had him that Day watch'd to Church and impatient to see what she heard so many People flock to see she went also to the same Church those sanctified Abodes being too often prophan'd by such Devotees whose Business is to ogle and ensnare But what a Noise and Humming was heard all over the Church when Tarquin enter'd His Grace his Mien his Fashion his Beauty his Dress and his Equipage surpriz'd all that were present And by the good Management and Care of Miranda she got to kneel at the side of the Altar just over against the Prince so that if he wou'd he cou'd not avoid looking full upon her She had turn'd up her Veil and all her Face and Shape appear'd such and so inchanting as I have describ'd And her Beauty heighten'd with Blushes and her Eyes full of Spirit and Fire with Joy to find the young Roman Monarch so charming she appear'd like something more than mortal and compell'd his Eyes to a fix'd Gazing on her Face She never glanc'd that way but she met 'em and then would feign so modest a Shame and Cast her Eyes downward with such inviting Art that he was wholly ravish'd and charm'd and she over-joy'd to find he was so The Ceremony being ended he sent a Page to follow that Lady home himself pursuing her to the Door of the Church where he took some Holy Water and threw upon her and made her a profound Reverence She forc'd an innocent Look and a modest Gratitude in her Face and bow'd and pass'd forward half assur'd of her Conquest leaving him to go home to his Lodging and impatiently wait the Return of his Page And all the Ladies who saw this first Beginning between the Prince and Miranda began to curse and envy her Charms who had depriv'd 'em of half their Hopes After this I need not tell you he made Miranda a Visit and from that Day never left her Apartment but when he went home at Nights or unless he had Business so entirely was he conquer'd by this Fair One But the Bishop and several Men of Quality in Orders that profess'd Friendship to him advis'd him from her Company and spoke several things to him that might if Love had not made him blind have reclaim'd him from the Pursuit of his Ruin But whatever they trusted him with she had the Art to wind herself about his Heart and make him unravel all his Secrets and then knew as well by feign'd Sighs and Tears to make him disbelieve all So that he had no Faith but for her and was wholly inchanted and bewitched by her At last in spight of all that wou'd have oppos'd it he marry'd this famous Woman possess'd by so many Great Men and Strangers before while all the World was pitying his Shame and Misfortunes Being marry'd they took a great House and as she was indeed a great Fortune and now a great Princess there was nothing wanting that was agreeable to their Quality all was splendid and magnificent But all this would not acquire 'em the World's Esteem they had an Abhorrence for her former Life despis'd her and for his espousing a Woman so infamous they despis'd him So that tho' they admir'd and gaz'd upon their Equipage and glorious Dress they foresaw the Ruin that attended it and paid her Quality little Respect She was no sooner marri'd but her Uncle dy'd and dividing his Fortune between Miranda and her Sister and leaves the young Heiress and all her Fortune entirely in the Hands of the Princess We will call this Sister Alcidiana she was about Fourteen Years of Age and now had chosen her Brother the Prince for her Guardian If Alcidiana were not altogether so great a Beauty as her Sister she had Charms sufficient to procure her a great many Lovers though her Fortune had not been so considerable as it was but with that Addition you may believe she wanted no Courtships from those of the best Quality though every Body deplor'd her being under the Tutorage of a Lady so expert in all the Vices of her Sex and so cunning a Manager of Sin as was the Princess who on her part fail'd not by all the
all means to do it The Gallantry which Coimbra seem'd to have forgotten began now to be awaken'd The King to please Don Alvaro under pretence of diverting Constantia order'd some Publick Sports and commanded that every thing should be magnificent Since the Adventure of the Verses Don Pedro endeavour'd to lay a Constraint on himself and to appear less troubled But in his Heart he suffer'd always alike and it was not but with great Uneasiness he prepar'd himself for the Turnament And since he could not appear with the Colours of Agnes he took those of his Wife without Device or any great Magnificence Don Alvaro adorn'd himself with the Liv'ries of Agnes de Castro and this fair Maid who had yet found no Consolation from what the Princess had told her had this new Cause of being displeas'd Don Pedro appear'd in the List with an admirable Grace and Don Alvaro who look'd on this Day as his own appear'd there all shining with Gold mix'd with Stones of Blew which were the Colours of Agnes and there was embroider'd all over his Equipage flaming Hearts of Gold on blew Velvet and Nets for the Snares of Love with abundance of double A's his Device was a Love coming out of a Cloud with these Verses written underneath Love from a Cloud breaks like the God of Day And to the World his Glories does display To gaze on charming Eyes and make 'em know What to soft Hearts and to his Power they owe. The Pride of Don Alvaro was soon humbled at the Feet of the Prince of Portugal who threw him against the Ground with twenty others and carry'd alone the Glory of the Day There was in the Evening a Noble Assembly at Constantia's where Agnes would not have been unless expresly commanded by the Princess She appear'd there all negligent and careless in her Dress but yet she appear'd all beautiful and charming She saw with disdain her Name and her Colours worn by Don Alvaro at a Publick Triumph and if her Heart were capable of any tender Motions it was not for such a Man as he for whom her Delicacy destin'd them She lookd on him with a Contempt which did not hinder him from pressing so near that there was a necessity for her to hear and what he had to declare to her She treated him not uncivily but her Coldness would have rebated the Courage of any but Alvaro Madam said he when he could be heard of none but herself I have hitherto concealed the Passion you have inspir'd me with fearing it should displease you but it has committed a Violence on my Respect and I could no longer conceal it from you I never reflected on your Actions answer'd Agnes with all the Indifference of which she was capable and if you think you offend me you are in the wrong to make me perceive it This Coldness is but an ill Omen for me reply'd Don Alvaro and if you have not found me out to be your Lover to Day I fear you will never approve my Passion Oh! what a time you have chosen to make it appear to me pursu'd Agnes is it so great an Honour for me that you must take such Care to shew it to the World And do you think that I am so desirous of Glory that I must aspire to it by your Actions If I must you have very ill maintain'd it in the Turnament and if it be that Vanity that you depend upon you 'll make no great Progress on a Soul that is not fond of Shame If you were possest of all the Advantages which the Prince has this Day carried away you yet ought to consider what you are going about and it is not a Maid like me who is touch'd with Enterprizes without respect or permission The Favourite of the King was too proud to hear Agnes without Indignation But as he was willing to conceal it and not offend her he made not his Resentment appear and considering the Observation she made on the Triumphs of Don Pedro which encreased his Jealousies If I have not overcome at the Turnament reply'd he I am not the less in Love for being vanquish'd nor less capable of success on occasions They were interrupted here but from that Day Don Alvaro who had open'd the first Difficulties kept no more his wonted Distance but perpetually persecuted Agnes yet tho' he were protected by the King that inspir'd in her never the more Consideration for him Don Pedro was always ignorant by what Means the Verses he had lost in the Garden fell into the Hands of Constantia As the Princess appeared to him Indulgent he was only concerned for Agnes and the Love of Don Alvaro which was then so well known increas'd the Pain and had he been possest of the Authority he would not have suffer'd her to have been expos'd to the Persecutions of so unworthy a Rival He was also afraid of the King 's being advertised of his Passion but he thought not at all of Elvira's nor apprehended any Malice from her Resentment While she burnt with a Desire of destroying Agnes against whom she vented all her Venom and she was never weary of making new Reports to her Brother assuring him that tho' they could not prove that Agnes made any returns to the Tenderness of the Prince yet that was the Cause of Constantia's Grief And that if this Princess should die of it Don Pedro might marry Agnes In fine she so incens'd the jealous Alvaro's Jealousie that he could not hinder himself from running immediately to the King with the Discovery of all he knew and all he guest and whom he had the Pleasure to find was infinitely inrag'd at the News My dear Alvaro said the King you shall instantly marry this dangerous Beauty And let Possession assure your Repose and mine If I have protected you in other Occasions judge what a Service of so great an Importance for me would make me undertake and without any reserve the Forces of this State are in your Power and almost any thing that I can give shall be assured you so you render your self Master of the Destiny of Agnes Don Alvaro pleas'd and vain with his Master's Bounty made use of all the Authority he gave him He passionately lov'd Agnes and would not on the sudden make use of Violence but resolv'd with himself to employ all possible Means to win her fairly but if that fail'd to have recourse to force if she continued always insensible While Agnes de Castro importun'd by his Assiduities despairing at the Grief of Constantia and perhaps made tender by those she had caus'd in the Prince of Portugal took a Resolution worthy of her Vertue yet amiable as Don Pedro was she found nothing in him but his being Husband to Constantia that was dear to her And far from encouraging the Power she had got over his Heart she thought of nothing but removing from Coimbra the Passion of Don Alvaro which she had no inclination to favour serv'd her
as a Pretext and press'd with the fear of causing in the End a cruel Divorce between the Prince and his Princess she went to find Constantia with a Trouble which all her Care was not able to hide from her The Princess easily found it out and their common Misfortune having not chang'd their Friendship What ails you Agnes said the Princess to her in a soft Tone and her ordinary Sweetness And what new Misfortune causes that Sadness in thy Looks Madam reply'd Agnes shedding a Rivulet of Tears the Obligations and Tyes I have to you put me upon a cruel Tryal I had bounded the Felicity of my Life in hope of passing it near your Highness yet I must carry to some other part of the World this unlucky Face of mine which renders me nothing but ill Offices And itis to obtain that Liberty that I am come to throw myself at your Feet looking upon you as my Sovereign Constantia was so surpriz'd and touch'd with the Proposition of Agnes that she lost her Speech for some Moments Tears which were sincere express'd her first Sentiments And after having shed abundance to give a new Mark of her Tenderness to the Fair afflicted Agnes she with a sad and melancholy Look fix'd her Eyes upon her and holding out her Hand to her in a most obliging manner sighing cry'd You will then my dear Agnes leave me and expose me to the Griefs of seeing you no more Alas Madam interrupted this lovely Maid hide from the unhappy Agnes a Bounty which does but increase her Misfortunes It is not I Madam that would leave you it is my Duty and my Reason that orders my Fate And those Days which I shall pass far from you promise me nothing to oblige me to this Design if I did not see myself absolutely forc'd to it I am not ignorant of what passes at Coimbra and I shall be an Accomplice of the Injustice there committed if I should stay there any longer Ah I I know your Vertue cry'd Constantia and you may remain here in all safety while I am your Protectress and let what will happen I will accuse you of nothing There 's no answering for what 's to come reply'd Agnes sadly and I shall be sufficiently Guilty if my Presence cause Sentiments which cannot be innocent Beside Madam the Importunities of Don Alvaro are insupportable to me and though I find nothing but Aversion for him since the King protects his Insolence and he 's in a Condition of undertaking any thing my Flight is absolutely necessary But Madam though he has nothing but what seems odious to me I caâ— Heaven to witness that if I could cure the Prince by marrying Don Alvaro I would not consider of it a Moment and finding in my Punishment the Consolation of sacrificing my self to my Princess I would support it without murmuring But if I were the Wife of Don Alvaro Don Pedro would always look upon me with the same Eyes So that I find nothing more reasonable for me than to hide myself in some Corner of the World where though I shall most certainly live without Pleasure yet I shall preserve the Repose of my dearest Mistress All the Reason you find in this Design answered the Princess cannot oblige me to approve of your Absence Will it restore me the Heart of Don Pedro And will he not fly away with you his Grief is mine and my Life is ty'd to his do not make him despair then if you love me I know ye I tell you so once more and let your Power be never so great over the Heart of the Prince I will not suffer you to abandon us Though Agnes thought she had perfectly known Constantia yet she did not expect to find so intire a Vertue in her which made her think herself more happy and the Prince more criminal Oh Wisdom Oh Bounty without Example cry'd she Why is it that the cruel Destinies do not give you all you deserve You are the Disposer of my Actions continu'd she in kissing the Hand of Constantia I 'll do nothing but what you 'll have me But consider weigh well the Reasons that ought to counsel you in the Measures you oblige me to take Don Pedro who had not seen the Princess all that Day came in then and finding 'em both extreamly troubled with a fierce Impatience demanded the Cause Sir answered Constantia Agnes too wise and too scrupulous fears the Effects of her Beauty and will live no longer at Coimbra and it was on this Subject which cannot be agreeable to me that she ask'd my Advice The Prince grew pale at this Discourse and snatching the Words from her Mouth with more concern than possest either of them cry'd with a Voice very feeble Agnes cannot fail if she follow your Councel Madam and I leave you full liberty to give it her He then immediately went out and the Princess whose Heart he perfectly possest not being able to hide her Displeasure said My dear Agnes if my Satisfaction did not only depend on your Conversation I should desire it of you for Pedro's sake it is the only Advantage that his unfortunate Love can hope And would not the World have reason to call me Barbarous if I contributed to deprive him of that But the sight of me will prove a Poyson to him reply'd Agnes And what should I do my Princess if after the Reserve he has hitherto kept his Mouth should add any thing to the Torments I have already felt by speaking to me of his Flame You would hear him sure without causing him to despair reply'd Constantia and I should put this Obligation to the Account of the rest you have done Would you then have me expect those Events which I fear Madam reply'd Agnes Well I will obey but just Heavens pursued she if they prove fatal do not punish an innocent Heart for it Thus this Conversation ended Agnes withdrew into her Chamber but it was not to be more at ease What Don Pedro had learn'd of the Design of Agnes caus'd a cruel Agitation in his Soul he wish'd he had never lov'd her and desir'd a thousand times to die But it was not for him to make Vows against a thing which Fate had design'd him and whatever Resolutions he made to bear the Absence of Agnes his Tenderness had not force enough to consent to it After having for a long time combated with himself he determin'd to do what was impossible for him to let Agnes do His Courage reproach'd him with the Idleness in which he past the most Youthful and Vigorous of his Days and making it appear to the King that his Allies and even the Prince Don John Emanuel his Father-in-Law had Concerns in the World which demanded his Presence on the Frontiers he easily obtain'd Liberty to make this Journey to which the Princess would put no Obstacle Agnes saw him part without any Concern but it was not upon the Account of any Aversion she had for
to please and this is the nearest Way to it Advice to Lovers Lovers if you would gain a Heart Of Damon learn to win the Prize He 'll shew you all its tend'rest Part And where its greatest Danger lies The Magazine of its Disdain Where Honour feebly guarded does remain If present do but little say Enough the silent Lover speaks But wait and sigh and gaze all Day Such Rhet'rick more than Languages takes For Words the dullest way do move And utter'd more to shew your Wit than Love Let your Eyes tell her of your Heart Its Story is for Words too delicate Souls thus exchange and thus impart And all their Secrets can relate A Tear a broken Sigh she 'll understand Or the soft trembling Pressings of the Hand Or if your Pain must be in Words exprest Let 'em fall gently unassur'd and slow And where they fail your Looks may tell the rest Thus Damon spoke and I was conquer'd so The witty Talker has mistook his Art The modest Lover only charms the Heart Thus while all Day you gazing sit And fear to speak and fear your Fate You more Advantages by Silence get Than the gay forward Youth with all his Prate Let him be silent here but when away Whatever Love can dictate let him say There let the bashful Soul unvail And give a Loose to Love and Truth Let him improve the amorous Tale With all the Force of Words and Fire of Youth There all and any thing let him express Too long he cannot write too much confess O Damon How well have you made me understand this soft Pleasure You know my Tenderness too well not to be sensible how I am charmed with your agreeable long Letters The Invention Ah! he who first found out the Way Souls to each other to convey Without dull Speaking sure must be Something above Humanity Let the fond World in vain dispute And the first Sacred Mystery impute Of Letters to the Learned Brood And of the Glory cheat a God 'T was Love alone that first the Art essay'd And Psyche was the first fair yielding Maid That was by the dear Billet-doux betray'd It is an Art too ingenious to have been found out by Man and too necessary to Lovers not to have been invented by the God of Love himself But Damon I do not pretend to exact from you those Letters of Gallantry which I have told you are filled with nothing but fine Thoughts and writ with all the Arts of Wit and Subtilty I would have yours still all tender unaffected Love Words unchosen Thoughts unstudied and Love unfeigned I had rather find more Softness than Wit in your Passion more of Nature than of Art more of the Lover than the Poet. Nor would I have you write any of those little short Letters that are read over in a minute in Love long Letters bring a long Pleasure Do not trouble yourself to make 'em fine or write a great deal of Wit and Sence in a few Lines that is the Notion of a witty Billet in any Affair but that of Love And have a Care rather to avoid these Graces to a Mistress and assure yourself dear Damon that what pleases the Soul pleases the Eye and the Largeness or Bulk of your Letter shall never offend me and that I only am displeased when I find them small A Letter is ever the best and most powerful Agent to a Mistress it almost always perswades 't is always renewing little Impressions that possibly otherwise Absence would deface Make use then Damon of your Time while it is given you and thank me that I permit you to write to me Perhaps I shall not always continue in the Humor of suffering you to do so and it may so happen by some Turn of Chance and Fortune that you may be deprived at the same time both of my Presence and of the Means of sending to me I will believe that such an Accident would be a great Misfortune to you for I have often hearâ— you say that To make the most happy 〈◊〉 ver suffer Martyrdom one need only for 〈◊〉 him Seeing Speaking and Writing to 〈◊〉 Object he loves Take all the Advantaâ—â— then you can you cannot give me too often Marks too powerful of your Passion Writâ— therefore during this Hour every Day 〈◊〉 give you leave to believe that while you do so you are Serving me the most Obligingly and Agreeably you can while absent and that you are giving me a Remedy against all Grief Uneasiness Melancholy and Despair Nay if you exceed your Hour you need not be asham'd The Time you employ in this kind Devoir id the Time that I shall be grateful for and no doubt will recompense it You ought not however to neglect Heaven for me I will give you time for your Devotion for my Watch tells you 't is time to go to the Temple Twelve a Clock Indispensible Duty THere are certain Duties which one ought never to neglect That of Adoring the Gods is of this nature and which we ought to pay from the bottom of our Hearts And that Damon is the only time I will dispense with your not thinking on me But I would not have you go to one of those Temples where the celebrated Beauties and those that make a Profession of Gallantry go and which come thither only to see and be seen and whither they repair more to shew their Beauty and Dress than to honour the Gods If you will take my Advice and oblige my Wish you shall go to those that are least frequented and you shall appear there like a Man that has a perfect Veneration for all things Sacred The Instruction Damon if your Heart and Flame You wish should always be the same Do not give it leave to rove Nor expose it to new Harms E're you think on 't you may love If you gaze on Beauty's Charms If with me you wou'd not part Turn your Eyes into your Heart If you find a new Desire In your easie Soul take Fire From the tempting Ruine fly Think it faithless think it base Fancy soon will fade and die If you wisely cease to gaze Lovers should have Honour too Or they pay but half Love's due Do not to the Temple go With design to gaze or show What e're Thoughts you have abroad Though you can deceive elsewhere There 's no feigning with your God Souls should be all perfect there The Heart that 's to the Altar brought Only Heaven should fill its Thought Do not your sober Thoughts perplex By gazing on the Ogling Sex Or if Beauty call your Eyes Do not on the Object dwell Guard your Heart from the Surprize By thinking Iris doth excel Above all earthly Things I 'd be Damon most belov'd by thee And only Heaven must Rival me One a Clock Forc'd Entertainment I Perceive it will be very difficult for you to quit the Temple without being surrounded with Complements from People of Ceremony Friends and News-mongers and several
of those sorts of Persons who afflict and busie themselves and rejoyce at a hundred things they have no Interest in Coquets and Politicians who make it the Business of their whole Lives to gather all the News of the Town adding or diminishing according to the Stock of their Wit and Invention and spreading it all abroad to the believing Fools and Gossips and perplexing every-body with a hundred ridiculous Novels which they pass off for Wit and Entertainment Or else some of those Recounters of Adventures that are always telling of Intrigues and that make a Secret to a hundred People of a Thousand foolish things they have heard Like a certain Pert and Impertinent Lady of the Town whose Youth and Beauty being past sets up for Wit to uphold a feeble Empire over idle Hearts and whose Character is this The Coquet Milinda who had never been Esteem'd a Beauty at Fifteen Always Amorous was and Kind To every Swain she lent an Ear. Free as Air but False as Wind Yet none complain'd She was severe She eas'd more than she made complain Was always Singing Pert and Vain Where-e'er the Throng was she was seen And swept the Youths along the Green With equal Grace she flatter'd all And fondly proud of all Address Her Smiles invite her Eyes do call And her vain Heart her Looks confess She Rallies this to that she Bow'd Was Talking ever Laughing loud On every side she makes Advance And every where a Confidance She tells for Secrets all she knows And all to know she does pretend Beauty in Maids she treats as Foes But every handsom Youth as Friend Scandal still passes off for Truth And Noise and Nonsence Wit and Youth Coquet all o'er and every part Yet wanting Beauty even of Art Herds with the Vgly and the Old And plays the Critick on the rest Of Men the Bashful and the Bold Either and all by Turns likes best Even now tho' Youth be languisht she Sets up for Love and Gallantry This sort of Creature Damon is very dangerous not that I fear you will squander away a Heart upon her but your Hours for in spight of you she 'll detain you with a thousand Impertinencies and eternal Tattle She passes for a judging Wit and there is nothing so troublesome as such a Pretender She perhaps may get some Knowledge of our Correspondence and then no doubt will improve it to my disadvantage Possibly she may rail at me that is her Fashion by the way of Friendly Speaking and an Aukward Commendation the most effectual Way of Defaming and Traducing Perhaps she tells you in a cold Tone that you are a happy Man to be belov'd by me That Iris indeed is handsome and she wonders she has no more Lovers but the Men are not of her Mind if they were you should have more Rivals She commends my Face but that I have blue Eyes and 't is pity my Complexion is no better My Shape but too much inclining to Fat. Cries She would charm infinitely with her Wit but that she knows too well she is Mistress of it And concludes But all together she is well enough Thus she runs on without giving you leave to edge in a Word in my Defence and ever and anon crying up her own Conduct and Management Tell you how she is opprest with Lovers and fatigu'd with Addresses and recommending her self at every turn with a perceivable Cunning And all the while is Jilting you of your good Opinion which she would buy at the Price of any Body's Repose or her own Fame tho' but for the Vanity of adding to the Number of her Lovers When she sees a new Spark the first thing she does she enquires into his Estate If she find it such as may if the Coxcomb be well manag'd supply her Vanity she makes Advances to him and applies herself to all those little Arts she usually makes use of to gain her Fools and according to his Humour dresses and affects her own But Damon since I point to no particular Person in this Character I will not name who you should avoid but all of this sort I conjure you wheresoever you find ' em But if unlucky Chance throw you in their Way hear all they say without Credit or Regard as far as Decency will suffer you Hear 'em without approving their Foppery and hear 'em without giving 'em Cause to censure you But 't is so much Time lost to listen to all the Novels this sort of People will perplex you with whose Business is to be idle and who even tire themselves with their own Impertinencies And be assur'd after all there is nothing they can tell you that is worth your knowing And Damon a perfect Lover never asks any News but of the Maid he loves The Enquiry Damon If your Love be True To the Heart that you possess Tell me What have you to do Where you have no Tenderness Her Affairs who cares to learn For whom he has not some Concer◠If a Lover fain would know If the Object lov'd be true Let her but industrious be To watch his Curiosity Tho' ne'r so cold his Questions seem They come from warmer Thoughts within When I hear a Swain enquire What gay Melinda does to live I conclude there us some Fire In a Heart inquisitive Or 't is at least the Bill that 's set To shew The Heart is to be Let. Two a Clock Dinner time LEave all those fond Entertainments or you will disoblige me and make Dinner wait for you for my Cupid tells you 't is that Hour Love does not pretend to make you lose that nor is it my Province to order you your Diet. Here I give you a perfect Liberty to do what you please And possibly 't is the only Hour in the whole Four and twenty that I will absolutely resign you or dispence with your even so much as Thinking on me 'T is true in seating yourself at Table I would not have you placed over-against a very Beautiful Object for in such a one there are a thousand little Graces in Speaking Looking and Laughing that fail not to Charm if one gives way to the Eyes to gaze and wander that way in which perhaps in spight of you you will find a Pleasure And while you do so though without Design or Concern you give the fair Charmer a sort of Vanity in believing you have placed yourself there only for the Advantage of Looking on her and assumes a hundred little Graces and Affectations which are not Natural to her to compleat a Conquest which she believes so well begun already She softens her Eyes and sweetens her Mouth and in 〈◊〉 puts on another Air than when she had no Design and when you did not by your continual looking on her rouze her Vanity and increase her easie Opinion of her own Charms Perhaps she knows I have some Interest in your Heart and Prides herself at least with believing she has attracted the Eyes of my
my Weakness and Indiscretion and I hope Damon finds the same For should he have any of those Attachments I should have no Pity for him The Example Damon if you wou'd have me true Be you my President and Guide Example sooner we pursue Than the dull Dictates of our Pride Precepts of Vertue are too weak an Aim 'T is Demonstration that can best reclaim Shew me the Path you 'd have me go With such a Guide I cannot stray What you approve whate'er you do It is but just I bend the Way If true my Honour favours your Design If false Revenge is the Result of mine A Lover true a Maid sincere Are to be priz'd as Things Divine 'T is Justice makes the Blessing dear Justice of Love without Design And she that Reigns not in a Heart alone Is never safe or easie on her Throne Four a Clock General Conversation IN this Visiting-Hour many People will happen to meet at one and the same time together in a Place And as you make not Visits to Friends to be silent you ought to enter into Conversation with 'em but those Conversations ought to be General and of General Things for there is no necessity of making your Friend the Confident of your Amours 'T would infinitely displease me to hear you have reveal'd to them all that I have repos'd in you tho' Secrets never so trivial yet since utter'd between Lovers they deserve to be priz'd at a higher rate For what can shew a Heart more indifferent and indiscreet than to declare in any Fashion or with Mirth or Joy the tender Things a Mistress says to a Lover and which possibly related at Second Hand bear not the same Sence because they have not the same Sound and Air they had originally when they came from the soft Heart of her who sigh'd 'em first to her lavish Lover Perhaps they are told again with Mirth or Joy unbecoming their Character and Business and then they lose their Graces for Love is the most Solemn Thing in Nature and the most unsuiting with Gaiety Perhaps the soft Expressions suit not so well the harsher Voice of the Masculine Lover whose Accents were not form'd for so much Tenderness at least not of that sort for Words that have the same Meaning are alter'd from their Sence by the least Tone or Accent of the Voice and those proper and fitted to my Soul are not possibly so to yours tho' both have the same Efficacy upon us yours upon my Heart as mine upon yours and both will be misunderstood by the unjudging World Besides this there is a Holiness in Love that 's true that ought not to be prophan'd And as the Poet truly says at the latter end of an Ode of which I will recite the whole The Invitation Aminta fear not to confess The charming Secret of thy Tenderness That which a Lover can't conceal That which to me thou should'st reveal And is but what thy lovely Eyes express Come whisper to my panting Heart That heaves and meets thy Voice half way That guesses what thou wou'dst impart And languishes for what thou hast to say Confirm my trembling Doubt and make me know Whence all these Blushings and these Sighings flow Why dost thou scruple to unfold A Mystery that does my Life concern If thou ne'er speak'st it will be told For Lovers all things can discern From every Look from every bashful Grace That still succeed each other in thy Face I shall the dear transporting Secret learn But 't is a Pleasure not to be exprest To hear it by the Voice confest When soft Sighs breathe it on my panting Breast All calm and silent is the Grove Whose shading Boughs resist the Day Here thou may'st blush and talk of Love While only Winds unheeding stay That will not bear the Sound away While I with solemn awful Joy All my attentive Faculties employ List'ning to every valu'd Word And in my Soul the Sacred Treasure hoard There like some Mystery Divine The wondrous Knowledge I 'll enshrine Love can his Joys no longer call his own Than the dear Secret's kept unknown There is nothing more true than those two last Lines and that Love ceases to be a Pleasure when it ceases to be a Secret and one you ought to keep sacred For the World who never makes a right Judgment of Things will misinterpret Love as they do Religion every one judging it according to the Notion he had of it or the Talent of his Sence Love as a great Duke said is like Apparitions every one talks of 'em but few have seen 'em Every Body thinks himself capable of understanding Love and that he is a Master in the Art of it when there is nothing so nice or difficult to be rightly comprehended and indeed cannot be but to a Soul very delicate Nor will he make himself known to the Vulgar There must be an uncommon Fineness in the Mind that contains him the rest he only visits in as many Disguises as there are Dispositions and Natures where he makes but a short stay and is gone He can fit himself to all Hearts being the greatest Flatterer in the World And he possesses every one with a Confidence that they are in the Number of his Elect and they think they know him perfectly when nothing but the Spirits refin'd possess him in his Excellency From this difference of Love in different Souls proceeds those odd fantastick Maxims which so many hold of so different Kinds And this makes the most innocent Pleasures pass oftentimes for Crimes with the unjudging Crowd who call themselves Lovers And you will have your Passion censur'd by as many as you shall discover it to and as many several Ways I advise you therefore Damon to make no Confidents of your Amours and believe that Silence has with me the most powerful Charm 'T is also in these Conversations that those indiscreetly civil Persons often are who think to oblige a good Man by letting him know he is belov'd by some one or other and making him understand how many good Qualities he is Master of to render him agreeable to the Fair Sex if he wou'd but advance where Love and good Fortune calls and that a too constant Lover loses a great part of his time which might be manag'd to more Advantage since Youth hath so short a Race to run By this and a thousand the like indecent Complaisances give him a Vanity that suits not with that Discretion which has hitherto acquir'd him so good a Reputation I wou'd not have you Damon act on these Occasions as many of the easie Sparks have done before you who receive such Weakness and Flattery for Truth and passing it off with a Smile suffer 'em to advance in Folâ—◠〈…〉 gain'd a Credit with 'em and 〈…〉 all they hear telling 'em they do 〈…〉 senting Gestures Silence or open 〈…〉 For my part I shou'd not conâ—◠〈…〉 that shou'd answer a sort of ciâ—◠〈…〉 for Love somewhat briskly
prejudicial to my Honour Upon this Belief you accuse me of Weakness you resolve to see me no more and are making a thousand feeble Vows against Love You esteem me as a false one and resolve to cease loving the vain Coquet and will say to me as a certain Friend of yours said to his false Mistress The Inconstant Though Sylvia you are very fair Yet disagreeable to me And since you so inconstant are Your Beauty 's damn'd with Levity Your Wit your most offensive Arms For want of Judgment wants its Charms To every Lover that is new All new and charming you surprize But when your fickle Mind they view They shun the danger of your Eyes Shou'd you a Miracle of Beauty show Yet you 're inconstant and will still be so 'T is thus you will think of me And in fine Damon during this Dream we are in a perpetual State of War Thus both resolve to break their Chain And think to do 't without much Pain But Oh! Alas we strive in vain For Lovers of themselves can nothing do There must be the Consent of Two You give it me and I must give it you And if we shall never be free till we acquit one another this Tye between you and I Damon is likely to last as long as we live therefore in vain you endeavour but can never attain your End and in conclusion you will say in thinking of me Oh! how at Ease my Heart wou'd live Cou'd I renounce this Fugitive This dear but false attracting Maid That has her Vows and Faith betray'd Reason wou'd have it so but Love Dares not the dang'rous Tryal prove Do not be angry then for this afflicting hour is drawing to an end and you ought not to despair of coming into my absolute Favour again Then do not let your murm'ring Heart Against my Int'rest take your Part. The Feud was rais'd by Dreams all false and vain And the next Sleep shall reconcile again Six a Clock Accommodation in Dreams THough the angry Lovers force themselves all they can to chase away the troublesome Tenderness of the Heart in the height of their Quarrels Love sees all their Sufferings pities and redresses 'em And when we begin to cool and a soft Repentance follows the Chagrin of the Love-Quarrel 't is then that Love takes the advantage of both Hearts and renews the charming Friendship more forcibly than ever puts a stop to all our Feuds and renders the Peace-making Minutes the most dear and tender part of our Life How pleasing 't is to see your Rage dissolve How sweet how soft is every Word that pleads for Pardon at my Feet 'T is there that you tell me your very Sufferings are over-paid when I but assure you from my Eyes that I will forget your Crime And your Imagination shall here present me the most sensible of your past Pain that you can wish and that all my Anger being vanish'd I give you a thousand Marks of my Faith and Gratitude and lastly to crown all that we again make new Vows to one another of inviolable Peace After these Debates of Love Lovers thousand Pleasures prove Which they ever think to taste Tho' oftentimes they do not last Enjoy then all the Pleasures that a Heart that is very amorous and very tender can enjoy Think no more on those Inquietudes that you have suffer'd bless Love for his Favours and thank me for my Graces and resolve to endure any thing rather than enter upon any new Quarrels And however dear the reconciling Moments are there proceeds a great deal of Evil from these little frequent Quarrels and I think the best Counsel we can follow is to avoid 'em as near as we can And if we cannot but that in spight of Love and good Understanding they should break out we ought to make as speedy a Peace as possible for 't is not good to grate the Heart too long lest it grow harden'd insensibly and lose its native Temper A few Quarrels there must be in Love Love cannot support itself without 'em and besides the Joy of an Accommodation Love becomes by it more strongly united and more charming Therefore let the Lover receive this as a certain Receipt against declining Love Love reconcil'd He that wou'd have the Passion be Entire between the Am'rous Pair Let not the little Feuds of Jealousie Be carried on to a Despair That pauls the Pleasure he would raise The Fire that he wou'd blow allays When Vnderstandings false arise When misinterpreted your thought If false Conjectures of your Smiles and Eyes Be up to Baneful Quarrel wrought Let Love the kind Occasion take And strait Accommodation make The sullen Lover long unkind Ill-natur'd hard to reconcile Loses the Heart he had inclin'd Love cannot undergo long Toil He 's soft and sweet not born to bear The rough Fatigues of painful War Seven a Clock Divers Dreams BEhold Damon the last Hour of your Sleep and of my Watch. She leaves you at liberty now and you may chuse your Dreams Trust 'em to your Imaginations give a Loose to Fancy and let it rove at Will provided Damon it be always guided by a respectful Love For thus far I pretend to give Bounds to your Imagination and will not have it pass beyond 'em Take heed in Sleeping you give no Ear to a flatt'ring Cupid that will favour your slumbring Minutes with Lies too pleasing and vain You are discreet enough when you are awake Will you not be so in Dreams Damon awake My Watch's Course is done after this you cannot be ignorant of what you ought to do during my absence I did not believe it necessary to caution you about Balls and Comedies you know a Lover depriv'd of his Mistress goes seldom there But if you cannot handsomly avoid these Divertions I am not so unjust a Mistress to be angry with you for it go if Civility or other Duties oblige you I will only forbid you in consideration of me not to be too much satisfied with those Pleasures but see 'em so as the World may have Reason to say you do not seek 'em you do not make a Business or a Pleasure of 'em and that 't is Complaisance and not Inclination that carries you thither Seem rather negligent than concern'd at any thing there and let every part of you say Iris is not here I say nothing to you neither of your Duty elsewhere I am satisfied you know it too well and have too great a Veneration for your Glorious Master to neglect any part of that for even Love itself And I very well know how much you love to be eternally near his illustrious Person and that you scarce prefer your Mistress before him in point of Love In all things else I give him leave to take place of Iris in the noble Heart of Damon I am satisfied you pass your Time well now at Windsor for you adore that place and 't is not indeed without great Reason for 't is
I am generous enough to make it good And since I am so willing to be just you ought to esteem me and to make it your chiefest Care to preserve me yours for I believe I shall deserve it and wish you shou'd believe so too Remember me write to me and observe punctually all the Motions of my Watch The more you regard it the better you will like it and whatever you think of it at first sight 't is no ill Present The Invention is soft and gallant and Germany so celebrated for rare Watches can produce nothing to equal this Damon my Watch is just and new And all a Lover ought to do My Cupid faithfully will shew And every Hour he renders there Except L'heure du Bergere The End of the WATCH THE CASE FOR THE WATCH DAMON to IRIS EXpect not O charming Iris that I shou'd chuse Words to thank you in Words that least part of Love and least the Business of the Lover but will say all and every thing that a tender Heart can dictate to make an Acknowledgment for so dear and precious a Present as this of your charming Watch while all I can say will but too dully express my Sense of Gratitude my Joy and the Pleasure I receive in the mighty Favour I confess the Present too rich too gay and too magnificent for my Expectation and though my Love and Faith deserve it yet my humbler Hope never durst carry me to a Wish of so great a Bliss so great an Acknowledgment from the Maid I adore The Materials are glorious the Work delicate and the Movement just and even gives Rules to my Heart who shall observe very exactly all that the Cupid remarks to me even to the Minutes which I will point with Sighs though I am oblig'd to 'em there but every Half-hour You tell me fair Iris that I ought to preserve it tenderly and yet you have sent it me without a Case But that I may obey you justly and keep it dear to me as long as I live I will give it a Case of my Fashion It shall be delicate and suitable to the fine Present of such Materials too But because I would have it perfect I will consult your admirable Wit and Invention in an Affair of so curious a consequence The FIGURE of the CASE I Design to give it the Figure of a Heart Does not your Watch Iris rule the Heart It was your Heart that contriv'd it and 't was your Heart you consulted in all the management of it and 't was your Heart that brought it to so fine a Conclusion The Heart never acts without Reason and all the Heart projects it performs with Pleasure Your Watch my lovely Maid has explain'd to me a World of rich Secrets of Love And where shou'd Thoughts so sacred be stor'd but in the Heart where all the Secrets of the Soul are treasur'd up and of which only Love alone can take a View 'T is thence he takes his Sighs and Tears and all his little Flatteries and Arts to please All his fine Thoughts and all his mighty Raptures nothing is so proper as the Heart to preserve it nothing so worthy as the Heart to contain it and it concerns my Interest too much not to be infinitely careful of so dear a Treasure And believe me charming Iris I will never part with it The Votary Fair Goddess of my just Desire Inspirer of my softest Fire Since you from out the num'rous Throng That to your Altars do belong To me the Sacred Myst'ry have reveal'd From all my Rival-Worshippers conceal'd And touch'd my Soul with heav'nly Fire Refin'd it from its grosser Sense And wrought it to a higher Excellence It can no more return to Earth Lake things that thence receive their Birth But still aspiring upward move And teach the World new Flights of Love New Arts of Secresie shall learn And render Youth discreet in Love's Concern In his soft Heart to hide the charming things A Mistress whispers to his Ear And e'ery tender Sigh she brings Mix with his Soul and hide it there To bear himself so well in Company That if his Mistress present be It may be thought by all the Fair Each in his Heart does claim a share And all are more belov'd than she But when with the dear Maid apart Then at her Feet the Lover lies Opens his Soul shews all his Heart While Joy is dancing in his Eyes Then all that Honour may or take or give They both distribute both receive A Looker on wou'd spoil a Lover's Joy For Love 's a Game where only Two can play And 't is the hardest of Love's Mysteries To feign Love where it is not hide it where it is After having told you my lovely Iris that I design to put your Watch into a Heart I ought to shew you the Ornaments of the Case I do intend to have 'em Crown'd Cyphers I do not mean those Crowns of Vanity which are put indifferently on all sorts of Cyphers No I must have such as may distinguish 〈◊〉 from the rest and may be true Emblems of what I wou'd represent My four Cyphers therefore shall be Crown'd with these four Wreaths of Olive Laurel Myrtle and Roles And the Letters that begin the Names of 〈◊〉 and Damon shall compose the Cyphers though I must intermix some other 〈◊〉 that bear another Sence and have another Signification The First CYPHER THE first Cypher is compos'd of an I 〈◊〉 a D which are joyn'd by an L and an E Which signifies Love extream And 't is but just O adorable Iris that Love shou'd be mixt with our Cyphers and that Love alone shou'd be the Union of ' em Love ought alone the Mystick Knot to die Love that great Master of all Arts And this dear Cypher is to let you see Love unites Names as well as Hearts Without this charming Union our Souls could not communicate those invisible Sweetnesses which compleat the Felicity of Lovers and which the most tender and passionate Expressions are too feeble to make us comprehend But my adorable Iris I am contented 〈◊〉 he vast Pleasure I feel in loving well without the Care of expressing it well if you will imagine my Pleasure without expressing it For I confess 't wou'd be no Joy to me to adore you if you did not perfectly believe I did adore you Nay though you lov'd me if you had no Faith in me I shou'd languish and love in as much Pain as if you scorn'd and at the same time believ'd I dy'd for you For surely Iris 't is a greater Pleasure to please than to be pleas'd and the glorious Power of giving is infinitely a greater Satisfaction than that of receiving there is so great and God-like a Quality in it I wou'd have your Belief therefore equal to my Passion extream as indeed all Love shou'd be or it cannot bear that Divine Name It can pass but for an indifferent Affection And these Cyphers ought
of Envy and a thousand Accidents that endeavour to change it Nothing can disoblige it but a known Falseness or Contempt Nothing can remove it 〈◊〉 for a short Moment it may lie sullen and 〈◊〉 it recovers and returns with greater Force and Joy I therefore with very good Reason Crown this Cypher of Constant Love with a Wreath of Laurel since such Love always triumphs over Time and Fortune though it be not her Property to besiege for she cannot overcome but in defending herself but the Victories she gains are never the less glorious For far less Conquest we have known The Victor wear the Laurel Crown The Triumph with more Pride let him receive While those of Love at least more Pleasures give The Fourth CYPHER PErhaps my lovely Maid you will not find out what I mean by the S and the L in this last Cypher that is crown'd with Roses I will therefore tell you I mean Secret Love There are very few People who know the Nature of that Pleasure which so Divine a Love creates And let me say what I will of it they must feel it themselves who wou'd rightly understand it and all its ravishing Sweets But this there is a great deal of Reason to believe the Secrecy in Love doubles the Pleasures of it And I am so absolutely perswaded of this that I believe all those Favours that are not kept â—â—cret are dull and paul'd very insipid and 〈◊〉 Pleasures And let the Favours be never â—â— innocent that a Lover receives from a Mistreâ—â— she ought to value 'em set a Price upon ' â—â— and make the Lover pay dear while he receiâ—â— 'em with Difficulty and sometimes with Hazard A Lover that is not secret but suffers every one to count his Sighs has at most but a feeble Passion such as produces sudden and transitory Desires which die as soon as born A true Love has not this Character for whensoever 't is made Publick it ceases to be a Pleasure and is only the Result of Vanity Not that I expect our Loves shou'd always remain a Secret No I shou'd never at that Rate arrive to a Blessing which above all the Glories of the Earth I aspire to but even then there are a thousand Joys a thousand Pleasures that I shall be as careful to conceal from the foolish World as if the whole Preservation of that Pleasure depended on my Silence as indeed â—â— does in a great Measure To this Cypher I put a Crown of Roses which are not Flowers of a very lasting Date And 't is to let you see that 't is impossible Love â—â— be long hid We see every Day with what fine Dissimulation and Pains People conceal a thousand Hates and Malices Disgusts Disobligations and Resentments without being able to conceal the least part of their Love but Reputation has an Ardour as well as Roses and a Lover ought to esteem that as the dearest and tenderest Thing not only that of his own which is indeed the least part but that of his Mistress more valuable to him than Life He ought to endeavour to give People no occasion to make false Judgments of his Actions or to give their Censures which most certainly are never in the Favour of the fair Person for likely those false Censures are of the busie Female Sex the Coquets of that number whose little Spights and Railleries joyn'd to that fancy'd Wit they boast of sets 'em at Odds with all the Beautiful and Innocent And how very little of that kind serves to give the World a Faith when a thousand Vertues told of the same Persons by more credible Witnesses and Judges shall pass unregarded so willing and inclin'd is all the World to credit the Ill and condemn the Good And yet Oh! what pity 't is we are compell'd to live in Pain to oblige this foolish scandalous World And tho' we know each others Vertue and Honour we are oblig'd to observe that Caution to humour the Talking Town which takes away so great a part of the Pleasure of Life 'T is therefore that among these Roses you will find some Thorns by which you may imagine that in Love Precaution is necessary to its Secrecy And we must restrain our selves upon a thousand Occasions with so much Care that O Iris 't is impossible to be Discreet without Pain but 't is a Pain that creates a thousand Pleasures Where shou'd a Lover hide his Joys Free from Malice free from Noise Where no Envy can intrude Where no busie Rival's Spy Made by Disappointment made May inform his Jealousie The Heart will their best Refuge prove Which Nature meant the Cabinet of Love What wou'd a Lover not endure His Mistress Fame and Honour to secure Iris the Care we take to be discreet Is the dear Toyl that makes the Pleasure sweet The Thorn that does the We althinc lose That with less sawcy Freedom we may touch the Rose The CLASP of the WATCH AH charming Iris Ah my lovely Maid 'T is now in a more peculiar Manner that I require your Aid in the finishing of my Design and compleating the whole Peice to the utmost Perfection and without your Aid it cannot be perform'd It is about the Clasp of the Watch a Material in all appearance the most trivial of any part of it But that it may be safe for ever I design it the Image or Figure of Two Hands that fair One of the adorable Iris joyn'd to mine with this Motto Inviolable Faith For this Case this Heart ought to be shut up by this eternal Clasp Oh there is nothing so necessary as this Nothing can secure Love but Faith That Vertue ought to be a Guard to all the Heart thinks and all the Mouth utters Nor can Love say he triumphs without it And when that remains not in the Heart all the rest deserves no Regard Oh! I have not lov'd so ill to leave one Doubt upon your Soul Why then will you want that Faith O unkind Charmer that my Passion and my Services so justly merit When two Hearts entirely love And in one Sphere of Honour move Each maintains the other's Fire With a Faith that is entire For what heedless Youth bestows On a faithless Maid his Vows Faith without Love bears Vertue 's Price But Love without her Mixture is a Vice Love like Religion still shou'd be In the Foundation firm and true In Points of Faith shou'd still agree Tho' Innovations vain and new Love's little Quarrels may arise In Fundamentals still they 're just and wise Then charming Maid be sure of this Allow me Faith as well as Love Since that alone affords no Bliss Vnless your Faith your Love improve Either resolve to let me die By fairer Play your Cruelty Than not your Love with Faith impart And with your Vows to give your Heart In mad Despair I 'd rather fall Than lose my glorious Hopes of conqu'ring all So certain it is that Love without Faith is of no value In
as blest as I. Extravagant with my Joys I have stray'd beyond my Limits for I was telling you of the wondrous Fineness of your Eyes which no Mortal can resist nor any Heart stand the force of their Charms and the most difficult Conquests they gain scarce cost 'em the Expence of a Look They are modest and tender chaste and languishing There you may take a View of the whole Soul and see Wit and Good Nature those two inseparable Vertues of the Mind in an extraordinary Measure In fine you see all that fair Eyes can produce to make themselves ador'd And when they are angry they strike an unresistable Awe upon the Soul And those Severities Damon wishes may perpetually accompany them during their Absence from him for 't is with such Eyes he wou'd have you receive all his Rivals Keep lovely Maid the Softness in your Eyes To flatter Damon with another Day When at your Feet the ravish'd Lover lies Then put on all that 's tender all that 's gay And for the Griefs your Absence makes him prove Give him the softest dearest Looks of Love His trembling Heart with sweetest Smiles caress And in your Eyes soft Wishes let him find That your Regret of Absence may confess In which no Sense of Pleasure you cou'd find And to restore him let your faithful Eyes Declare that all his Rivals you despise The Mouth of IRIS I Perceive your Modesty wou'd impose Silence on me But O fair Iris Do not think to present yourself before a Glass if you wou'd not have it tell you all your Beauties Content yourself that I only speak of 'em En Passant for shou'd I speak what I wou'd I shou'd dwell all Day upon each particular and still say something new Give me Liberty then to speak of your fine Mouth You need only open it a little and you will see the most delicate Teeth that ever you beheld the whitest and the best set Your Lips are the finest in the World so round so soft so plump so dimpled and of the loveliest Colour And when you smile Oh! What Imagination can conceive how sweet it is that has not seen you Smiling I cannot describe what I so admire and 't is in vain to those who have not seen Iris. O Iris boast that one peculiar Charm That has so many Conquests made So innocent yet capable of harm So just itself yet has so oft betray'd Where a thousand Graces dwell And wanton round in e'ery Smile A thousand Loves do listen when you speak And catch each Accent as it flies Rich flowing Wit when e're you Silence break Flows from your Tongue and sparkles in your Eyes Whether you talk or silent are Your Lips immortal Beauties were The Neck of IRIS ALL your Modesty all your nice Care cannot hide the ravishing Beauties of your Neck we must see it Coy as you are and see it the whitest and finest shap'd that ever was form'd Oh! Why will you cover it You know all handsome things wou'd be seen And Oh! how often have you made your Lovers envy your Scarf or any thing that hides so fine an Object from their sight Damon himself complains of your too nice Severity Pray do not hide it so carefully See how perfectly turn'd it is with small blue Veins wandring and ranging here and there like little Rivulets that wanton o'er the flowry Meads See how the round white rising Breasts heave with every Breath as if they disdain'd to be confin'd to a Covering and repel the malicious Cloud that wou'd obscure their Brightness Fain I wou'd have leave to tell The Charms that on your Bosom dwell Describe it like some flow'ry Field That does ten thousand Pleasures yield A thousand gliding Springs and Groves All Receptacles for Loves But Oh! what Iris hides must be Ever sacred kept by me The Arms and Hands of IRIS I Shall not be put to much trouble to shew you your Hands and Arms because you may view them without my help and you are very unjust if you have not admir'd 'em a Thousand times The beautiful Colour and Proportion of your Arm is unimitable and your Hand is dazling fine small and plump long-pointed Fingers delicately turn'd dimpl'd on the Snowy out-side but adorn'd within with Rose all over the soft Palm O Iris Nothing equals your fair Hand that Hand of which Love so often makes such use to draw his Bow when he wou'd send the Arrow home with more success and which irresistibly wounds those who possibly have not yet seen your Eyes And when you have been veil'd that lovely Hand has gain'd you a thousand Adorers And I have heard Damon say Without the Aid of more Beauties that alone had been sufficient to have made an absolute Conquest o'er his Soul And he has often vow'd It never touch'd him but it made his Blood run with little irregular Motions in his Veins his Breath beat short and double his Blushes rise and his very Soul dance Oh! how the Hand the Lover ought to prize 'Bove any one peculiar Grace While he is dying for the Eyes And doting on the lovely Face The Vnconsid'ring little knows How much he to this Beauty owes That when the Lover absent is Informs him of his Mistress Heart 'T is that which gives him all his Bliss When dear Love-Secrets 't will impart That plights the Faith the Maid bestows And that confirms the tim'rous Vows 'T is that betrays the Tenderness Which the too bashful Tongue denies 'T is that that does the Heart confess And spares the Language of the Eyes 'T is that which Treasures gives so vast Ev'n Iris 't will to Damon give at last The Grace and Air of IRIS 'T IS I alone O charming Maid that can shew you that noble part of your Beauty That generous Air that adorns all your lovely Person and renders every Motion and Action perfectly adorable With what a Grace you walk How free how easie and how unaffected See how you move for only here you can see it Damon has told you a thousand times that never any Mortal had so glorious an Air but he cou'd not half describe it nor wou'd you credit even what he said but with a careless Smile pass it off for the Flattery of a Lover But here behold and be convinc'd and know no part of your Beauty can charm more than this O Iris confess Love has adorn'd you with all his Art and Care Your Beauties are the Themes of all the Muses who tell you in daily Songs that the Graces themselves have not more than Iris. And one may truly say that you alone know how to joyn the Ornaments and Dress with Beauty and you are still adorn'd as if that Shape and Air had a peculiar Art to make all things appear gay and fine Oh how well drest you are How every thing becomes you Never singular never gawdy but always suiting with your Quality Oh how that Negligence becomes your Air That careless flowing of
Tarquin and his false wicked Fair One Miranda The full Account of which you will find admirably writ in the following Volume But I must not omit entirely some other Adventures that happen'd to her during this Negotiation tho' I cannot give so just and large a Representation of them as I willingly wou'd I have told you that as her Mind so her Body was adorn'd with all the Advantages of our Sex Wit Beauty and Judgment seldom meet in one especially in Woman you may allow this from a Woman but in her they were eminent and this made her turn all the Advantages each gave her to the Interest she had devoted her self to serve And whereas the Beauty of the Face is that which generally takes with Mankind so it gives 'em most commonly an Assurance and Security from Designs for they suppose that a beautiful Woman as she is made for the Pleasure of others so chiefly minds her own and in that they are not much mistaken for they pursue the same Course with the rest of the World Pleasure but then 't is as various as their Tempers and what they generally imagine may have the least share in many of them The Event I 'm sure shew'd that in Astrea at this time at least the Pleasures of Love had not the Predominance when she diverted the Hopes which the Vanity of a Dutch Merchant of great Interest and Authority in Holland had entertain'd of a successful Passion to the Service of her Prince and his own shameful Disappointment They are mistaken who imagine that a Dutchman can't love for tho' they are generally more phlegmatick than other Men yet it sometimes happens that Love does penetrate their Lump and dispense an enlivening Fire that destroys its graver and cooler Considerations at least it once prov'd so on this Spark whom we must call by the Name of Vander Albert of Vtrecht Antwerp is a City of great Opulence and Compass and before the Separation of the Seven Provinces from the other Ten the Emporium of Flanders and is yet a Town of considerable Trade and Resort 't is in the Spanish Netherlands and yet near Neighbour to the Dominions of the States For which Reason our Astrea chose it for the Place of her abode where she might with the greater Ease hear from and meet with Vander Albert who before the War in her Husband's time had been in love with her in England and on which she grounded the Success of her Negotiation Albert as soon as he knew of her Arrival at Antwerp and the publick Posts he was in wou'd give him Leave made a short Voyage to meet her with all the Love his Nature was capable of and which by chance was much and more refin'd than most of his Countrymen at least according to our common Notions of 'em and after a Repetition of all his former Professions for her Service press'd her extreamly to let him by some signal Means give undeniable Proofs of the Vehemence and Sincerity of his Passion for which he wou'd ask no Reward till he had by long and faithful Services convinc'd her that he deserv'd it This Proposal was so reasonable and so extreamly suitable to her present Aim in the Service of her Country that she accepted it and having the Reward in her own Power as well as the Judgment of his Deserts she put him to that use which made her very serviceable to the King I shall only instance one piece of Intelligence which might have sav'd the Nation a great deal of Money and Disgrace had Credit been given to it The latter end of the Year 1666. Albert sent her Word by a special Messenger that he wou'd be with her at a Day appointed which nothing cou'd have oblig'd him to but his Engagements to her but his Affairs requiring his immediate Return into Holland he had sent that Express to get her to be alone and in the way those few Minutes he cou'd stay with her The time comes Astrea is punctual to the Appointment and Albert informs her that Cornelius de Wit who with the rest of that Family had an implacable Hatred to the English Nation and the House of Orange that was so nearly related to it had with d' Ruyter propos'd to the States to sail up the River of Thames and destroy the English Ships in their Harbours since by the Proposal of a Peace the King of England had shewn so little of the Politician or was so rul'd by evil Counsellors that he never thought of treating with Sword in Hand but to save the Expence of fitting out a Fleet had expos'd so considerable a part of it to the Resentment of the Enemy This Proposal of de Wit concurring with the Advice which the Dutch Partisans in England had given 'em was well receiv'd and you may depend on it my Charming Astrea that it will be put in Execution said Albert for I can further assure you that we have that good Correspondence with some Ministers about the King that being ensur'd from all Opposition we look on it as a thing of neither Danger nor Difficulty When Albert had discover'd a Secret of this Importance and with all those Marks of a sincere Relation of Truth Astrea cou'd not doubt but he had sufficient Grounds for what he had told her and scarce allow'd that little time that Albert staid to the Civilities due for a Service of that mighty Consequence and this Interview was no sooner ended but she got ready her Dispatches for England But all the particular Circumstances she gave nor the Consequence of it if it should be effected cou'd gain Credit enough to her Intelligence to make any tolerable Preparations against it And all the Encouragement she met with was to be laugh'd at by the Minister she wrote to and her Letter shew'd by way of Contempt to some who ought not to have been let into the Secret and so bandy'd about till it came to the Ears of a particular Friend of hers who gave her an Account of what Reward she was to expect for her Service since that was so little valu'd and desir'd her therefore to lay aside her politick Negotiation and divert her Friends with some pleasant Adventures of Antwerp either as to her Lovers or those of any other Lady of her Acquaintance that in this she wou'd be more successful than in her Pretences of State since here she wou'd not fail of pleasing those she writ to Astrea vex'd at this Letter and the Treatment she had met with for a Service the Ancients wou'd have decreed her a Triumph gave over all sollicitous Thought of Business and resolv'd to comply with her Friends Request in what she wou'd take so much Pleasure in the Narration of But soon after she had the Satisfaction to see her incredulous Correspondents sufficiently punished for neglecting her Advice and by their Mismanagement find e'ery particular thing come to pass that she had forewarn'd 'em of Nay and some powerful Men fall
of the Injustice imaginable He had an extreme good and graceful Mien and all the Civility of a well-bread Great Man He had nothing of Barbarity in his Nature but in all Points address'd himself as if his Education had been in some Europaean Court. This great and just Character of Oroonoko gave me an extreme Curiosity to see him especially when I knew he spoke French and English and that I could talk with him But though I had heard so much of him I was as greatly surpriz'd when I saw him as if I had heard nothing of him so beyond all Report I found him He came into the Room and address'd himself to me and some other Women with the best Grace in the World He was pretty tall but of a shape the most exact that can be fansy'd The most famous Statuary cou'd not form the figure of a Man more admirably turnâ—d from Head to Foot His Face was not of that brown rusty Black which most of that Nation are but a perfect Ebony or polish'd Jett His Eyes were the most awful that cou'd be seen and very piercing the White of 'em being like Snow as were his Teeth His Nose was rising and Roman instead of African and flat His Mouth the finest shap'd that cou'd be seen far from those great turn'd Lips which are so natural to the rest of the Negroes The whole Proportion and Air of his Face was so noble and exactly form'd that bating his Colour there cou'd be nothing in Nature more beautiful agreeable and handsome There was no one Grace wanting that bears the Standard of true Beauty His Hair came down to his Shoulders by the aids of Art which was by pulling it out with a Quill and keeping it comb'd of which he took particular care Nor did the Perfections of his Mind come short of those of his Person for his Discourse was admirable upon almost any Subject and who-ever had heard him speak wou'd have been convinc'd of their Errors that all fine Wit is confin'd to the White men especially to those of Christendom and wou'd have confess'd that Oroonoko was as capable even of reigning well and of governing as wisely had as great a Soul as politick Maxims and was as sensible of Power as any Prince civiliz'd in the most refined Schools of Humanity and Learning or the most illustrious Courts This Prince such as I have describ'd him whose Soul and Body were so admirably adorn'd was while yet he was in the Court of his Grand-father as I said as capable of Love as 't was possible for a brave and gallant Man to be and in saying that I have nam'd the highest Degree of Love for sure great Souls are most capable of that Passion I have already said the old General was kill'd by the shot of an Arrow by the side of this Prince in Battle and that Oroonoko was made General This old dead Hero had one only Daughter left of his Race a Beauty that to describe her truly one need say only she was Female to the noble Male the beautiful Black Venus to our young Mars as charming in her Person as he and of delicate Vertues I have seen an hundred White Men sighing after her and making a thousand Vows at her Feet all vain and unsuccessful And she was indeed too great for any but a Prince of her own Nation to adore Oroonoko coming from the Wars which were now ended after he had made his Court to his Grand-father he thought in honour he ought to make a Visit to Imoinda the Daughter of his Foster-father the dead General and to make some Excuses to her because his Preservation was the occasion of her Father's Death and to present her with those Slaves that had been taken in this last Battle as the Trophies of her Father's Victories When he came attended by all the young Soldiers of any Merit he was infinitely surpriz'd at the Beauty of this fair Queen of Night whose Face and Person was to exceeding all he had ever beheld that lovely Modesty with which she receiv'd him that Softness in her Look and Sighs upon the melancholy Occasion of this Honour that was done by so great a Man as Oroonoko and a Prince of whom she had heard such admirable things the Awfulness wherewith she receiv'd him and the Sweetness of her Words and Behaviour while he stay'd gain'd a perfect Conquest over his fierce Heart and made him feel the Victor cou'd be subdu'd So that having made his first Complements and presented her an Hundred and fifty Slaves in Fetters he told her with his Eyes that he was not insensible of her Charms while Imoinda who wish'd for nothing more than so glorious a Conquest was pleas'd to believe she understood that silent Language of new-born Love and from that moment put on all her additions to Beauty The Prince return'd to Court with quite another Humour than before and though he did not speak much of the fair Imoinda he had the pleasure to hear all his Followers speak of nothing but the Charms of that Maid insomuch that even in the presence of the old King they were extolling her and heightning if possible the Beauties they had found in her so that nothing else was talk'd of no other sound was heard in every corner where there were Whisperers but Imoinda Imoinda 'T will be imagin'd Oroonoko stay'd not long before he made his second Visit nor considering his Quality not much longer before he told her he ador'd her I have often heard him say that he admir'd by what strange Inspiration he came to talk things so soft and so passionate who never knew Love nor was us'd to the Conversation of Women but to use his own words he said Most happily some new and till then unknown Power instructed his Heart and Tongue in the Language of Love and at the same time in favour of him inspir'd Imoinda with a sense of his Passion She was touch'd with what he said and return'd it all in such Answers as went to his very Heart with a Pleasure unknown before Nor did he use those Obligations ill that Love had done him but turn'd all his happy moments to the best advantage and as he knew no Vice his Flame aim'd at nothing but Honour if such a distinction may be made in Love and especially in that Country where Men take to themselves a many as they can maintain and where the only Crime and Sin with Woman is to turn her off to abandon her to Want Shame and Misery such ill Morals are only practis'd in Christian Countries where they preferr the bare Name of Religion and without Vertue or Morality think that sufficient But Oroonoko was none of those Professors but as he had right Notions of Honour so he made her such Propositions as were not only and barely such but contrary to the custom of his Countrey he made her Vows she shou'd be the only Woman he wou'd possess while he liv'd that no
her from me I wou'd venture through any Hazard to free her But here in the Arms of a feeble Old Man my Youth my violent Love my Trade in Arms and all my vast Desire of Glory avail me nothing Imoinda is as irrecoverably lost to me as if she were snatcht by the cold Arms of Death Oh! she is never to be retriev'd If I wou'd wait tedious Years till Fate shou'd bow the old King to his Grave even that wou'd not leave me Imoinda free but still that Custom that makes it so vile a Crime for a Son to marry his Father's Wives or Mistresses wou'd hinder my Happiness unless I wou'd either ignobly set an ill President to my Successors or abandon my Countrey and fly with her to some unknown World who never heard our Story But it was objected to him That his case was not the same for Imoinda being his lawful Wife by solemn Contract 't was he was the injur'd Man and might if he so pleas'd take Imoinda back the breach of the Law being on his Grand-Father's side and that if he cou'd circumvent him and redeem her from the Otan which is the Palace of the King's Women a sort of Seraglio it was both just and lawful for him so to do This Reasoning had some force upon him and he shou'd have been entirely comforted but for the thought that she was possess'd by his Grand-father However he lov'd so well that he was resolv'd to believe what most favour'd his Hope and to endeavour to learn from Imoinda's own Mouth what only she cou'd satisfie him in whether she was robb'd of that Blessing which was only due to his Faith and Love But as it was very hard to get a sight of the Women for no Men ever enter'd into the Otan but when the King went to entertain himself with some one of his Wives or Mistresses and 't was Death at any other time for any other to go in so he knew not how to contrive to get a sight of her While Oroonoko felt all the Agonies of Love and suffer'd under a Torment the most painful in the world the old King was not exempted from his share of Affliction He was troubled for having been forc'd by an irresistible Passion to rob his Son of a Treasure he knew cou'd not but be extremely dear to him since she was the most beautiful that ever had been seen and had besides all the Sweetness and Innocence of Youth and Modesty with a Charm of Wit surpassing all He found that however she was forc'd to expose her lovely Person to his wither'd Arms she cou'd only sigh and weep there and think of Oroonoko and oftentimes cou'd not for bear speaking of him though her Life were by Custom forfeited by owning her Passion But she spoke not of a Lover only but of a Prince dear to him to whom she spoke and of the Praises of a Man who till now fill'd the old Man's Soul with Joy at every recital of his Bravery or even his Name And 't was this Dotage on our young Hero that gave Imoinda a thousand Privileges to speak of him without offending and this Condescention in the old King that made her take the Satisfaction of speaking of him so very often Besides he many times enquir'd how the Prince bore himself And those of whom he ask'd being entirely Slaves to the Merits and Vertues of the Prince still answer'd what they thought conduc'd best to his Service which was to make the old King fansie that the Prince had no more Interest in Imoinda and had resign'd her willingly to the Pleasure of the King that he diverted himself with his Mathematicians his Fortifications his Officers and his Hunting This pleas'd the old Lover who fail'd not to report these things again to Imoinda that she might by the Example of her young Lover withdraw her Heart and rest better contented in his Arms. But however she was forc'd to receive this unwelcome News in all appearance with Unconcern and Content her Heart was bursting within and she was only happy when she cou'd get alone to vent her Griefs and Moans with Sighs and Tears What Reports of the Prince's Conduct were made to the King he thought good to justifie as far as possibly he cou'd by his Actions and when he appear'd in the Presence of the King he shew'd a Face not at all betraying his Heart so that in a little time the old Man being entirely convinc'd that he was no longer a Lover of Imoindae he carry'd him with him in his Train to the Otan often to banquet with his Mistress But as soon as he enter'd one day into the Apartment of Imoinda with the King at the first Glance from her Eyes notwithstanding all his determined Resolution he was ready to sink in the place where he stood and had certainly done so but for the support of Aboan a young Man who was next to him which with his Change of Countenance had betray'd him had the King chanc'd to look that way And I have observ'd 't is a very great error in those who laugh when one says A Negro can change Colour for I have seen 'em as frequently blush and look pale and that as visibly as ever I saw in the most beautiful White And 't is certain that both these Changes were evident this day in both these Lovers And Imoinda who saw with some Joy the Change in the Prince's Face and found it in her own strove to divert the King from beholding either by a forc'd Caress with which she met him which was a new Wound in the Heart of the poor dying Prince But as soon as the King was busy'd in looking on some fine thing of Imoinda's making she had time to tell the Prince with her angry but Love-darting Eyes that she resented his Coldness and bemoan'd her own miserable Captivity Nor were his Eyes silent but answer'd hers again as much as Eyes cou'd do instructed by the most tender and most passionate Heart that ever lov'd And they spoke so well and so effectually as Imoinda no longer doubted but she was the only Delight and Darling of that Soul she found pleading in 'em its Right of Love which none was more willing to resign than she And 't was this powerful Language alone that in an instant convey'd all the Thoughts of their Souls to each other that they both found there wanted but Opportunity to make them both entirely happy But when he saw another Door open'd by Onahâ—l a former old Wife of the Kings who now had Charge of Imoinda and saw the Prospect of a Bed of State made ready with Sweets and Flowers for the Dalliance of the King who immediately led the trembling Victim from his sight into that prepar'd Repose what Rage what wild Frenzies seiz'd his Heart which forcing to keep within bounds and to suffer without noise it became the more insupportable and rent his Soul with ten thousand pains He was forc'd to retire to
vent his Groans where he fell down on a Carpet and lay struggling a long time and only breathing now and then Oh Imoinda When Onahal had finisht her necessary Affair within shutting the Door she came forth to wait till the King call'd and hearing some one sighing in the other Room she past on and found the Prince in that deplorable Condition which she thought needed her Aid She gave him Cordials but all in vain till finding the nature of his Disease by his Sighs and naming Imoinda she told him he had not so much cause as he imagin'd to afflict himself for if he knew the King so well as she did he wou'd not lose a moment in Jealousie and that she was confident that Imoinda bore at this minute part in his Affliction Aboan was of the same opinion and both together persuaded him to re-assume his Courage and all sitting down on the Carpet the Prince said so many obliging things to Onahal that he half-persuaded her to be of his Party And she promis'd him she wou'd thus far comply with his just Desires that she wou'd let Imoinda know how faithful he was what he suffer'd and what he said This Discourse lasted till the King call'd which gave Oroonoko a certain Satisfaction and with the Hope Onahal had made him conceive he assum'd a Look as gay as 't was possible a Man in his circumstances cou'd do and presently after he was call'd in with the rest who waited without The King commanded Musick to be brought and several of his young Wives and Mistresses came all together by his Command to dance before him where Imoinda perform'd her part with an Air and Grace so passing all the rest as her Beauty was above 'em and receiv'd the Present ordain'd as a Prize The Prince was every moment more charm'd with the new Beauties and Graces he beheld in this Fair One And while he gaz'd and she danc'd Onahal was retir'd to a Window with Aboan This Onahal as I said was one of the Cast-Mistresses of the old King and 't was these now past their Beauty that were made Guardians or Governantee's to the new and the young ones and whose Business it was to teach them all those wanton Arts of Love with which they prevail'd and charm'd heretofore in their Turn and who now treated the triumphing happy Ones with all the Severity as to Liberty and Freedom that was possible in revenge of their Honours they rob them of envying them those Satisfactions those Gallantries and Presents that were once made to themselves while Youth and Beauty lasted and which they now saw pass as it were regardless by and paid only to the Bloomings And certainly nothing is more afflicting to a decay'd Beauty than to behold in it self declining Charms that were once ador'd and to find those Caresses paid to new Beauties to which once she laid a claim to hear 'em whisper as she passes by That once was a delicate Woman These abandon'd Ladies therefore endeavour to revenge all the Despights and Decays of Time on these flourishing happy Ones And 't was this Severity that gave Oroonoko a thousand fears he should never prevail with Onahal to see Imoinda But as I said she was now retir'd to a Window with Aboan This Young Man was not only one of the best Quality but a Man extremely well made and beautiful and coming often to attend the King to the Otan he had subdu'd the Heart of the antiquated Onahal which had not forgot how pleasant it was to be in Love And though she had some Decays in her Face she had none in her Sence and Wit she was there agreeable still even to Aboan's Youth so that he took pleasure in entertaining her with Discourses of Love He knew also that to make his Court to these She-Favourites was the way to be great these being the Persons that do all Affairs and Business at Court He had also observ'd that she had given him Glances more tender and inviting than she had done to others of his Quality And now when he saw that her Favour cou'd so absolutely oblige the Prince he fail'd not to sigh in her Ear and to look with Eyes all soft upon her and give her Hope that she had made some Impressions on his Heart He found her pleas'd at this and making a thousand advances to him but the Ceremony ending and the King departing broke up the Company for that Day and his Conversation Aboan fail'd not that night to tell the Prince of his Success and how advantageous the Service of Onahal might be to his Amour with Imoinda The Prince was over-joy'd with this good News and besought him if it were possible to caress her so as to engage her entirely which he cou'd not fail to do if he comply'd with her Desires For then said the Prince her Life lying at your Mercy she must grant you the Request you make in my behalf Aboan understood him and assur'd him he would make love so effectually that he would defie the most expert Mistress of the Art to find out whether he dissembl'd it or had it really And 't was with impatience they waited the next Opportunity of going to the Otan The Wars came on the Time of taking the Field approach'd and 't was impossible for the Prince to delay his going at the Head of his Army to encounter the Enemy so that every Day seem'd a tedious Year till he saw his Imoinda for he believ'd he cou'd not live if he were forc'd away without being so happy 'T was with impatience therefore that he expected the next Visit the King wou'd make and according to his wish it was not long The Parley of the Eyes of these two Lovers had not pass'd so secretly but an old jealous Lover could spy it or rather he wanted not Flatterers who told him they observ'd it so that the Prince was hasten'd to the Camp and this was the last Visit he found he shou'd make to the Otan he therefore urg'd Aboan to make the best of this last Effort and to explain himself so to Onahal that she deferring her Enjoyment of her young Lover no longer might make way for the Prince to speak to Imoinda The whole Affair being agreed on between the Prince and Aboan they attended the King as the custom was to the Otan where while the whole Company was taken up in beholding the Dancing and Antick Postures the Women-Royal made to divert the King Onahal singl'd out Aboan whom she found most plyable to her wish When she had him where she believ'd she cou'd not be heard she sigh'd to him and softly cry'd Ah Aboan when will you be sensible of my Passion I confess it with my Mouth because I wou'd not give my Eyes the Lye and you have too much already perceiv'd they have confess'd my Flame Nor wou'd I have you believe that because I am the abandon'd Mistress of a King I esteem my self altogether divested of Charms No
and his Business up in the Plantation But as it was more for Form than any Design to put him to his Task he endur'd no more of the Slave but the Name and remain'd some Days in the House receiving all Visits that were made him without stirring towards that part of the Plantation where the Negroes were At last he wou'd needs go view his Land his House and the Business assign'd him But he no sooner came to the Houses of the Slaves which are like a little Town by it self the Negroes all having left Work but they all came forth to behold him and found he was that Prince who had at several times sold most of 'em to these Parts and from a Veneration they pay to great Men especially if they know 'em and from the Surprize and Awe they had at the sight of him they all cast themselves at his Feet crying out in their Language Live O King Long live O King And kissing his Feet paid him even Divine Homage Several English Gentlemen were with him and what Mr. Trefry had told 'em was here confirm'd of which he himself before had no other Witness than Caesar himself But he was infinitely glad to find his Grandure confirm'd by the Adoration of all the Slaves Caesar troubl'd with their Over-Joy and Over-Ceremony besought 'em to rise and to receive him as their Fellow-Slave assuring them he was no better At which they set up with one Accord a most terrible and hidious Mourning and Condoling which he and the English had much a-do to appease but at last they prevail'd with 'em and they prepar'd all their barbarous Musick and every one kill'd and dress'd something of his own Stock for every Family has their Land a-part on which at their leisure-times they breed all eatable things and clubbing it together made a most magnificent Supper inviting their Grandee Captain their Prince to honour it with his Presence which he did and several English with him where they all waited on him some playing others dancing before him all the time according to the Manners of their several Nations and with unwearied Industry endeavouring to please and delight him While they sat at Meat Mr. Trefry told Caesar that most of these young Salves were undone in Love with a fine She Slave whom they had had about Six Months on their Land the Prince who never heard the Name of Love without a Sigh nor any mention of it without the Curiosity of examining further into that tale which of all Discourses was most agreeable to him asked how they came to be so Unhappy as to be all Undone for one fair Slave Trefry who was naturally Amorous and lov'd to talk of Love as well as any body proceeded to tell him they had the most charming Black that ever was beheld on their Plantation about fifteen or sixteen Years old as he guess'd that for his part he had done nothing but Sigh for her ever since she came and that all the White Beauties he had seen never charm'd him so absolutely as this fine Creature had done and that no Man of any Nation ever beheld her that did not fall in Love with her and that she had all the Slaves perpetually at her Feet and the whole Countrey resounded with the Fame of Clemene for so said he we have Christen'd her But she denies us all with such a noble Disdain that 't is a Miracle to see that she who can give such eternal Desires shou'd her self be all Ice and all Unconcern She is adorn'd with the most graceful Modesty that ever beautify'd Youth the softest Sigher that if she were capable of Love one wou'd swear she languish'd for some absent happy Man and so retir'd as if she fear'd a Rape even from the God of Day or that the Breezes wou'd steal Kisses from her delicate Mouth Her Task of Work some sighing Lover every Day makes it his Petition to perform for her which she accepts blushing and with reluctancy for fear he will ask her a Look for a Recompence which he dares not presume to hope so great an Awe she strikes into the Hearts of her Admirers I do not wonder reply'd the Prince that Clemene shou'd refuse Slaves being as you say so Beautiful but wonder how she escapes those who can entertain her as you can do or why being your Slave you do not oblige her to yield I confess said Trefry when I have against her Will entertain'd her with Love so long as to be transported with my Passion even above Decency I have been ready to make use of those advantages of Strength and Force Nature has given me But oh she disarms me with that Modesty and Weeping so tender and so moving that I retire and thank my Stars she overcame me The Company laugh'd at his Civility to a Slave and Caesar only applauded the Nobleness of his Passion and Nature since that Slave might be Noble or what was better have true Notions of Honour and Vertue in her Thus pass'd they this Night after having receiv'd from the Slaves all imaginable Respect and Obedience The next day Trefry ask'd Caesar to walk when the Heat was allay'd and designedly carry'd him by the Cottage of the fair Slave and told him she whom he spoke of last night liv'd there retir'd But says he I wou'd not wish you to approach for I am sure you will be in Love as soon as you behold her Caesar assur'd him he was Proof against all the Charms of that Sex and that if he imagin'd his Heart cou'd be so perfidious to Love again after Imoinda he believ'd he shou'd tear it from his Bosom They had no sooner spoke but a little Shock-Dog that Clemene had presented her which she took great delight in ran out and she not knowing any body was there ran to get it in again and bolted out on those who were just speaking of her When seeing them she wou'd have run in again but Trefry caught her by the Hand and cry'd Clemene however you flie a Lover you ought to pay some Respect to this Stranger pointing to Caesar But she as if she had resolv'd never to raise her Eyes to the Face of a Man again bent 'em the more to the Earth when he spoke and gave the Prince the leisure to look the more at her There needed no long Gazing or Consideration to examine who this fair Creature was he soon saw Imoinda all over her in a minute he saw her Face her Shape her Air her Modesty and all that call'd forth his Soul with Joy at his Eyes and left his Body destitute of almost Life it stood without Motion and for a Minute knew not that it had a Being and I believe he had never come to himself so oppress'd he was with Over-joy if he had not met with this Allay that he perceiv'd Imoinda fall dead in the Hands of Trefry This awaken'd him and he ran to her Aid and caught her in his Arms where by
yet he charg'd that weakness on Love alone who was capable of making him neglect even Glory it self and for which now he reproaches himself every moment of the Day Much more to this effect he spoke with an Air impatient enough to make me know he wou'd not be long in Bondage and though he suffer'd only the Name of a Slave and had nothing of the Toil and Labour of one yet that was sufficient to render him Uneasie and he had been too long Idle who us'd to be always in Action and in Arms He had a Spirit all Rough and Fierce and that cou'd not be tam'd to lazy Rest and though all endeavours were us'd to exercise himself in such Actions and Sports as this World afforded as Running Wrestling Pitching the Bar Hunting and Fishing Chasing and Killing Tigers of a monstrous Size which this Continent affords in abundance and wonderful Snakes such as Alexander is reported to have incounter'd at the River of Amazons and which Caesar took great Delight to overcome yet these were not Actions great enough for his large Soul which was still panting after more renown'd Action Before I parted that Day with him I got with much ado a Promise from him to rest yet a little longer with Patience and wait the coming of the Lord Governor who was every Day expected on our Shore he assur'd me he wou'd and this Promise he desired me to know was given perfectly in Complaisance to me in whom he had an intire Confidence After this I neither thought it convenient to trust him much out of our View nor did the Country who fear'd him but with one accord it was advis'd to treat him fairly and oblige him to remain within such a compass and that he shou'd be permitted as seldom as cou'd be to go up to the Plantations of the Negroes or if he did to be accompany'd by some that shou'd be rather in appearance Attendants than Spys This Care was for some time taken and Caesar look'd upon it as a Mark of extraordinary Respect and was glad his discontent had oblig'd 'em to be more observant to him he received new assurance from the Overseer which was confirmed to him by the Opinion of all the Gentlemen of the Country who made their court to him During this time that we had his Company more frequently than hitherto we had had it may not be unpleasant to relate to you the Diversions we entertaind'd him with or rather he us My stay was to be short in that Countrey because my Father dy'd at Sea and never arriv'd to possess the Honour was design'd him which was Lieutenant-General of Six and thirty Islands besides the Continent of Surinam nor the Advantages he hop'd to reap by them so that though we were oblig'd to continue on our Voyage we did not intend to stay upon the Place Though in a word I must say thus much of it That certainly had his late Majesty of sacred Memory but seen and known what a vast and charming World he had been Master of in that Continent he wou'd never have parted so easily with it to the Dutch 'T is a Continent whose vast Extent was never yet known and may contain more Noble Earth than all the Universe beside for they say it reaches from East to West one way as far as China and another to Peru It affords all things both for Beauty and Use 't is there Eternal Spring always the very Months of April May and June the Shades are perpetual the Trees bearing at once all degrees of Leaves and Fruit from blooming Buds to ripe Autumn Groves of Oranges Limons Citrons Figs Nutmegs and noble Aromaticks continually bearing their Fragrancies The Trees appearing all like Nosegays adorn'd with Flowers of different kinds some are all White some Purple some Scarlet some Blue some Yellow bearing at the same time Ripe Fruit and Blooming Young or producing every day new The very Wood of all these Trees have an intrinsick Value above common Timber for they are when cut of different Colours glorious to behold and bear a price considerable to Inlay withal Besides this they yield rich Balm and Gums so that we make our Candles of such an Aromatick Substance as does not only give a sufficient Light but as they burn they cast their Perfumes all about Cedar is the common Firing and all the Houses are built with it The very Meat we eat when set on the Table if it be Native I mean of the Countrey perfumes the whole Room especially a little Beast call'd an Armadilly a thing which I can liken to nothing so well as a Rhinoceros 't is all in white Armour so jointed that it moves as well in it as if it had nothing on this Beast is about the bigness of a Pig of six Weeks old But it were endless to give an Account of all the divers Wonderful and Strange things that Countrey affords and which we took a very great delight to go in search of though those Adventures are oftentimes Fatal and at least Dangerous But while we had Caesar in our Company on these Designs we fear'd no harm nor suffer'd any As soon as I came into the Countrey the best House in it was presented me call'd St. John's Hill It stood on a vast Rock of white Marble at the foot of which the River ran a vast depth down and not to be descended on that side the little Waves still dashing and washing the foot of this Rock made the softest Murmurs and Purlings in the World and the opposite Bank was adorn'd with such vast quantities of different Flowers eternally Blowing and every Day and Hour new fenc'd behind 'em with lofty Trees of a thousand rare Forms and Colours that the Prospect was the most ravishing that Sands can create On the edge of this white Rock towards the River was a Walk or Grove of Orange and Limon-Trees about half the length of the Mall here whose Flowery and Fruit-bearing Branches met at the top and hinder'd the Sun whose Rays are very fierce there from entering a Beam into the Grove and the cool Air that came from the River made it not only fit to entertain People in at all the hottest hours of the day but refresh'd the sweet Blossoms and made it always Sweet and Charming and sure the whole Globe of the World cannot shew so delightful a Place as this Grove was Not all the Gardens of boasted Italy can produce a Shade to out-vie this which Nature had join'd with Art to render so exceeding fine and 't is a marvel to see how such vast Trees as big as English Oaks cou'd take footing on so solid a Rock and in so little Earth as cover'd that Rock But all things by Nature there are Rare Delightful and Wonderful But to our Sports Sometimes we wou'd go surprising and in search of young Tigers in their Dens watching when the old ones went forth to forage for Prey and oftentimes we have been in great
lov'd nothing so much as to behold sighing Slaves at her Feet of the greatest Quality and treated 'em all with an Affability that gave 'em Hope Continual Musick as soon as it was dark and Songs of dying Lovers were sung under her Windows and she might well have made herself a great Fortune if she had not been so already by the rich Presents that were hourly made her and every Body daily expected when she wou'd make some one happy by suffering herself to be conquer'd by Love and Honour by the Assiduities and Vows of some one of her Adorers But Miranda accepted their Presents heard their Vows with pleasure and willingly admitted all their soft Addresses but wou'd not yield her Heart or give away that lovely Person to the Possession of one who cou'd please itself with so many She was naturally Amorous but extreamly Inconstant She lov'd one for his Wit another for his Face a third for his Mein but above all she admir'd Quality Quality alone had the Power to attack her entirely yet not to one Man but that Vertue was still admir'd by her in all where-ever she found that she lov'd or at least acted the Lover with such Art that deceiving well she fail'd not to compleat her Conquest and yet she never durst trust her fickle Humour with Marriage She knew the Strength of her own Heart and that it cou'd not suffer itself to be confin'd to one Man and wisely avoided those Inquietudes and that Uneasiness of Life she was sure to find in that married Life which wou'd against her Nature oblige her to the Embraces of one whose Humour was to love all the Young and the Gay But Love who had hitherto but play'd with her Heart and given it naught but pleasing wanton Wounds such as afforded only soft Joys and not Pains resolv'd either out of Revenge to those Numbers she had abandon'd and who had sigh'd so long in vain or to try what Power he had upon so fickle a Heart sent an Arrow dipp'd in the most tormenting Flames that rage in Hearts most sensible He struck it home and deep with all the Malice of an angry God There was a Church belonging to the Cordeliers whither Miranda often repair'd to her Devotion and being there one Day accompany'd with a young Sister of the Order after the Mass was ended as 't is the Custom some one of the Fathers goes about the Church with a Box for Contribution or Charity-Money it happen'd that Day that a young Father newly initiated carried the Box about which in his turn he brought to Miranda She had no sooner cast her Eyes on this young Friar but her Face was overspread with Blushes of Surprize She beheld him stedfastly and saw in his Face all the Charms of Youth Wit and Beauty he wanted no one Grace that cou'd form him for Love he appear'd all that is adorable to the Fair Sex nor cou'd the mishapen Habit hide from her the lovely Shape it endeavour'd to cover nor those delicate Hands that approach'd her too near with the Box. Besides the Beauty of his Face and Shape he had an Air altogether great in spite of his profess'd Poverty it betray'd the Man of Quality and that Thought weigh'd greatly with Miranda But Love who did not design she shou'd now feel any sort of those easie Flames with which she had heretofore burnt made her soon lay all those Considerations aside which us'd to invite her to Love and now lov'd she knew not why She gaz'd upon him while he bow'd before her and waited for her Charity 'till she perceiv'd the lovely Friar to blush and cast his Eyes to the Ground This awaken'd her Shame and she put her Hand into her Pocket and was a good while in searching for her Purse as if she thought of nothing less than what she was about at last she drew it out and gave him a Pistole but that with so much Deliberation and Leisure as easily betray'd the Satisfaction she took in looking on him while the good Man having receiv'd her Bounty after a very low Obeisance proceeded to the rest and Miranda casting after him a Look all languishing as long as he remain'd in the Church departed with a Sigh as soon as she saw him go out and return'd to her Apartment without speaking one Word all the Way to the young Fille Devote who attended her so absolutely was her Soul employ'd with this young holy Man Cornelia so was this Maid call'd who was with her perceiving she was so silent who us'd to be all Wit and good Humour and observing her little Disorder at the Sight of the young Father tho' she was far from imagining it to be Love took an Occasion when she was come home to speak of him Madam said she did you not observe that fine young Cordedelier who brought the Box At a Qustion that nam'd that Object of her Thoughts Miranda blush'd and the finding she did so redoubl'd her Confusion and she had scarce Courage enough to say Yes I did observe him And then forcing herself to smile a little continu'd And I wonder'd to see so jolly a young Friar of an Order so severe and mortify'd Madam reply'd Cornelia when you know his Story you will not wonder Miranda who was impatient to know all that concern'd her new Conqueror oblig'd her to tell his Story and Cornelia obey'd and proceeded The Story of Prince HENRICK YOU must know Madam that this young holy Man is a Prince of Germany of the House of whose Fate it was to fall most passionately in Love with a fair young Lady who lov'd him with an Ardour equal to what he vow'd her Sure of her Heart and wanting only the Approbation of her Parents and his own which her Quality did not suffer him to despair of he boasted of his Happiness to a young Prince his elder Brother a Youth amorous and fierce impatient of Joys and sensible of Beauty taking Fire with all fair Eyes He was his Father's Darling and Delight of his fond Mother and by an Ascendant over both their Hearts rul'd their Wills This young Prince no sooner saw but lov'd the fair Mistress of his Brother and with an Authority of a Sovereign rather than the Advice of a Friend warn'd his Brother Henrick this now young Friar to approach no more this Lady whom he had seen and seeing lov'd In vain the poor surpriz'd Prince pleads his Right of Love his Exchange of Vows and Assurance of an Heart that cou'd never be but for himself In vain he urges his Nearness of Blood his Friendship his Passion or his Life which so entirely depended on the Possession of the charming Maid All his Pleading serv'd but to blow his Brother's Flame and the more he implores the more the other burns and while Henrick follows him on his Knees with humble Submissions the other flies from him in Rages of transported Love nor cou'd his Tears that pursu'd his Brother's Steps move him to Pity
had the Happiness or rather the Misfortune so Love ordain'd to see this Ravisher of her Heart and Soul and every Day she took new Fire from his lovely Eyes Unawares unknown and unwillingly he gave her Wounds and the Difficulty of her Cure made her Rage the more She burnt she languish'd and dy'd for the young Innocent who knew not he was the Author of so much Mischief Now she resolves a thousand Ways in her tortur'd Mind to let him know her Anguish and at last pitch'd upon that of writing to him soft Billets which she had learnt the Art of doing or if she had not she had now Fire enough to inspire her with all that cou'd charm and move These she deliver'd to a young Wench who waited on her and whom she had entirely subdu'd to her Interest to give to a certain Lay-Brother of the Order who was a very simple harmless Wretch and who serv'd in the Kitchen in the nature of a Cook in the Monastery of Cordeliers She gave him Gold to secure his Faith and Service and not knowing from whence they came with so good Credentials he undertook to deliver the Letters to Father Francisco which Letters were all afterwards as you shall hear produc'd in open Court These Letters fail'd not to come every Day and the Sence of the first was to tell him that a very beautiful young Lady of a great Fortune was in love with him without naming her but it came as from a third Person to let him know the Secret that she desir'd he wou'd let her know whether she might hope any Return from him assuring him he needed but only see the fair Languisher to confess himself her Slave This Letter being deliver'd him he read by himself and was surpriz'd to receive Words of this nature being so great a Stranger in that place and cou'd not imagine or wou'd not give himself the trouble of guessing who this should be because he never design'd to make Returns The next Day Miranda finding no Advantage from her Messenger of Love in the Evening sends another impatient of Delay confessing that she who suffer'd the Shame of Writing and Imploring was the Person herself who ador'd him 'T was there her raging Love made her say all things that discover'd the nature of its Flame and propose to flee with him to any part of the World if he wou'd quit the Convent that she had a Fortune considerable enough to make him happy and that his Youth and Quality were not given him to so unprofitable an End as to lose themselves in a Convent where Poverty and Ease was all their Business In fine she leaves nothing unurg'd that might debauch and invite him not forgetting to send him her own Character of Beauty and left him to judge of her Wit and Spirit by her Writing and her Love by the Extremity of Passion she profess'd To all which the lovely Friar made no Return as believing a gentle Capitulation or Exhortation to her wou'd but inflame her the more and give new Occasions for her continuing to write All her Reasonings false and vicious he despis'd pities the Error of her Love and was Proof against all she could plead Yet notwithstanding his Silence which left her in doubt and more tormented her she ceas'd not to pursue him with her Letters varying her Style sometimes all wanton loose and raving sometimes feigning a Virgin-modesty all over accusing herself blaming her Conduct and siging her Destiny as one compell'd to the shameful Discovery by the Austerity of his Vow and Habit asking his Pity and Forgiveness urging him in Charity to use his Fatherly Care to perswade and reason with her wild Desires and by his Councel drive the God from her Heart whose Tyranny was worse than that of a Fiend and he did not know what his pious Advice might do But still she writes in vain in vain she varies her Style by a Cunning peculiar to a Maid possess'd with such a sort of Passion This cold Neglect was still Oil to the burning Lamp and she tries yet more Arts which for want of right Thinking were as fruitless She has recourse to Presents her Letters came loaded with Rings of great price and Jewels which Fops of Quality had given her Many of this sort he receiv'd before he knew where to return 'em or how and on this Occasion alone he sent her a Letter and restor'd her Trifles as he call'd 'em But his Habit having not made him forget his Quality and Education he writ to her with all the profound Respect imaginable believing by her Presents and the Liberality with which we parted with 'em that she was of Quality But the whole Letter as he told me afterwards was to perswade her from the Honour she did him by loving him urging a thousand Reasons solid and pious and assuring her he had wholly devoted the rest of his Days to Heaven and had no need of those gay Trifles she had sent him which were only fit to adorn Ladies so fair as herself and who had business with this glittering World which he disdain'd and had for ever abandon'd He sent her a thousand Blessings and told her she shou'd be ever in his Prayers though not in his Heart as she desired And abundance of Goodness more he express'd and Councel he gave her which had the same Effect with his Silence it made her Love but the more and the more impatient she grew She now had a new Occasion to write she now is charm'd with his Wit this was the new Subject She rallies his Resolution and endeavours to re-call him to the World by all the Arguments that Humane Invention is capable of But when she had above four Months languish'd thus in vain not missing one Day wherein she went not to see him without discovering herself to him she resolv'd as her last Effort to shew her Person and see what that assisted by her Tears and soft Words from her Mouth cou'd do to prevail upon him It happen'd to be on the Eve of that Day when she was to receive the Sacrament that she covering herself with her Veil came to Vespers purposing to make choice of the conquering Friar for her Confessor She approach'd him and as she did so she trembl'd with Love At last she cry'd Father my Confessor is gone for some time from the Town and I am oblig'd to morrow to receive and beg you will be pleas'd to take my Confession He cou'd not refuse her and let her into the Sacriste where there is a Confession-Chair in which he seated himself and on one side of him she kneel'd down over against a little Altar where the Priests Robes lie on which was plac'd some lighted Wax-Candles that made the little place very light and splendid which shone full upon Miranda After the little Preparation usual in Confession she turn'd up her Veil and discover'd to his View the most wond'rous Object of Beauty he had ever seen dress'd
in all the Glory of a young Bride her Hair and Stomacher full of Diamonds that gave a Lustre all dazling to her brighter Face and Eyes He was surpriz'd at her amazing Beauty and question'd whether he saw a Woman or an Angel at his Feet Her Hands which were elevated as if in Prayer seem'd to be form'd of polish'd Alabaster and he confess'd he had never seen any thing in Nature so perfect and so admirable He had some pain to compose himself to hear her Confession and was oblig'd to turn away his Eyes that his Mind might not be perplex'd with an Object so diverting when Miranda opening the finest Mouth in the World and discovering new Charms began her Confession Holy Father said she amongst the Number of my vile Offences that which afflicts me to the greatest Degree is that I am in Love Not continu'd she that I believe simple and vertuous Love a Sin when 't is plac'd on an Object proper and suitable but my dear Father said she and wept I love with a Violence which cannot be contain'd within the Bounds of Reason Moderation or Vertue I love a Man whom I cannot possess without a Crime and a Man who cannot make me happy without become perjur'd Is he marry'd reply'd the Father No answer'd Miranda Are you so continu'd he Neither said she Is he too near ally'd to you said Francisco a Brother or Relation Neither of these said she He is unenjoy'd unpromis'd and so am I Nothing opposes our Happiness or makes my Love a Vice but You 'T is you deny me Life 'T is you that forbids my Flame 'T is you will have me die and seek my Remedy in my Grave when I complain of Tortures Wounds and Flames O cruel Charmer 't is for you I languish and here at your Feet implore that Pity which all my Addresses have fail'd of procuring me With that perceiving he was about to rise from his Seat she held him by his Habit and vow'd she wou'd in that posture follow him where-ever he flew from her She elevated her Voice so loud he was afraid she might be heard and therefore suffer'd her to force him into his Chair again where being seated he began in the most passionate Terms imaginable to dissuade her but finding she but the more persisted in Eagerness of Passion he us'd all the tender Assurance that he cou'd force from himself that he wou'd have for her all the Respect Esteem and Friendship that he was capable of paying that he had a real Compassion for her and at last she prevail'd so far with him by her Sighs and Tears as to own he had a Tenderness for her and that he cou'd not behold so many Charms without being sensibly touch'd by them and finding all those Effects that a Maid so young and fair causes in the Souls of Men of Youth and Sense But that as he was assured he cou'd never be so happy to marry her and as certain he cou'd not grant any thing but honourable Passion he humbly besought her not to expect more from him than such and then began to tell her how short Life was and transitory its Joys how soon she wou'd grow weary of Vice and how often change to find real Repose in it but never arrive to it He made an End by new Assurance of his eternal Friendship but utterly forbad her to hope Behold her now deny'd refus'd and defeated with all her pleading Youth Beauty Tears and Knees imploring as she lay holding fast his Scapular and embracing his Feet What shall she do She swells with Pride Love Indignation and Desire her burning Heart is bursting with Despair her Eyes grow fierce and from Grief she rises to a Storm and in her Agony of Passion which looks all disdainful haughty and full of Rage she began to revile him as the poorest of Animals Tells him his Soul was dwindled to the Meanness of his Habit and his Vows of Poverty were suited to his degenerate Mind And said she since all my nobler Ways have fail'd me and that for a little hypocritical Devotion you resolve to lose the greatest Blessings of Life and to sacrifice me to your Religious Pride and Vanity I will either force you to abandon that dull Dissimulation or you shall die to prove your Sanctity real Therefore answer me immediately answer my Flame my raging Fire which your Eyes have kindled or here in this very Moment I will ruine thee and make no Scruple of revenging the Pains I suffer by that which shall take away your Life and Honour The trembling young Man who all this while with extream Anguish of Mind and Fear of the dire Result had listen'd to her Ravings full of Dread demanded what she wou'd have him do When she reply'd Do that which thy Youth and Beauty were ordain'd to do This place is private a Sacred Silence reigns here and no one dares to pry into the Secrets of this holy Place We are as secure from Fears of Interruption as in Desarts uninhabited or Caves forsaken by wild Beasts The Tapers too shall veil their Lights and only that glimmering Lamp shall be witness of our dear Stealths of Love Come to my Arms my trembling longing Arms and curse the Folly of thy Bigottry that has made thee so long lose a Blessing for which so many Princes sigh in vain At these Words she rose from his Feet and snatching him in her Arms he cou'd not defend himself from receiving a thousand Kisses from the lovely Mouth of the charming Wanton after which she ran herself and in an instant put out the Candles But he cry'd to her In vain O too indiscreet Fair Onè in vain you put out the Light for Heaven still has Eyes and will look down upon my broken Vows I own your Power I own I have all the Sense in the World of your charming Touches I am frail Flesh and Blood but yet yet yet I can resist and I prefer my Vows to all your powerful Temptations I will be deaf and blind and guard my Heart with Walls of Ice and make you know that when the Flames of true Devotion are kindled in a Heart it puts out all other Fires which are as ineffectual as Candles lighted in the Face of the Sun Go vain Wanton and repent and mortifie that Blood which has so shamefully betray'd thee and which will one Day ruine both thy Soul and Body At these Words Miranda more enrag'd the nearer she imagin'd herself to Happiness made no Reply but throwing herself in that instant into the Confessing-Chair and violently pulling the young Friar into her Lap she elevated her Voice to such a degree in crying out Help help A Rape Help help that she was heard all over the Church which was full of People at the Evening's Devotion who flock'd about the Door of the Sacristi which was shut with a Spring-lock on the inside but they durst not open the Door 'T is easily to be imagin'd in what
him Don Alvaro began then to make his Importunity an open Persecution he forgot nothing that might touch the insensible Agnes and made use a long time only of the Arms of Love But seeing that this Submissions and Respect was to no purpose he form'd strange Designs As the King had a Deference for all his Counsels it was not difficult to inspire him with what he had a Mind to He complain'd of the ungrateful Agnes and forgot nothing that might make him perceive that she was not cruel to him on his Account but from the too much Sensibility she had for the Prince The King who was extream angry at this reiterated all the Promises he had made him The King had not yet spoke to Agnes in favour of Don Alvaro and not doubting but his Approbation would surmount all Obstacles he took an occasion to entertain her with it And removing some distance from those who might hear him I thought Don Alvaro had Merit enough said he to her to have obtain'd a little share in your Esteem and I could not imagine there would have been any necessity of my solliciting it for him I know you are very charming but he has nothing that renders him unworthy of you and when you shall reflect on the Choice my Friendship has made of him from among all the Great Men of my Court you will do him at the same time Justice His Fortune is none of the meanest since he has me for his Protector He is nobly born a Man of Honour and Courage he adores you and it seems to me that all these Reasons are sufficient to vanquish your Pride The Heart of Agnes was so little disposed to give itself to Don Alvaro that all that the King of Portugal had said had no Effect on her in his favour If Don Alvaro Sir answered she were without Merit he possest Advantages enough in the Bounty your Majesty is pleased to Honour him with to make him Master of all things it is not that I find any Defect in him that I answer not his Desires But Sir by what obstinate Power would you that I should Love if Heaven has not given me a Soul that is tender And why should you pretend that I should submit to him when nothing is dearer to me than my Liberty You are not so free nor so insensile as you say answered the King blushing with Anger and if your Heart were exempt from all sorts of Affection he might expect a more reasonable Return than what he finds But imprudent Maid conducted by an ill Fate added he in Fury what Pretensions have you to Don Pedro Hitherto I have hid the Chagreen which his Weakness and yours gave me but it was not the less violent for being hid And since you oblige me to break out I must tell you that if my Son were not already married to Constantia he should never be your Husband renounce then those vain Ideas which will cure him and justifie you The couragious Agnes was scarce Mistress of the first Transports at a Discourse so full of Contempt but calling her Vertue to the aid of her Anger she recover'd herself by the assistance of Reason And considering the Outrage she receiv'd not as coming from a Great King but a Man blinded and possest by Don Alvaro she thought him not worthy of her Resentment her fair Eyes animated themselves with so shining a vivacity they answered for the purity of her Sentiments and fixing them stedfastly on the King If the Prince Don Pedro have Weaknesses reply'd she with an Air disdainful he never communicated 'em to me and I am certain I never contributed wilfully to 'em But to let you see how little I regard your Defiance and to put my Glory in safety I will live far from you and all that belongs to you Yes Sir I will quit Coimbra with pleasure and for this Man who is so dear to you answer'd she with a noble Pride and Fierceness of which the King felt all the Force for this Favourite so worthy to possess the most tender affections of a great Prince I assure you that into whatever part of the World Fortune conducts me I will not carry away the least Remembrance of him At these words she made a profound Reverence and made such haste from his Presence that he could not oppose her going if he would The King was now more strongly convinc'd than ever that she favoured the Passion of Don Pedro and immediately went to Constantia to inspire her with the same thought but she was not capable of receiving such Impressions and following her own natural Inclinations she generously defended the Virtue of Actions The King angry to see her so well intentioned to her Rival whom he would have had her hated reproached her with the sweetness of her Temper and went thence to mix his Anger with Don Alvaro's Rage who was totally confounded when he saw the Negotiation of his Master had taken no effect The haughty Maid braves me then Sir said he to the King and despises the Honour which your Bounty offered her Why cannot I resist so fatal a Passion But I must love her in spight of my self and if this Flame consume me I can find no way to extinguish it what can I farther do for you replied the King Alas Sir answer'd Don Alvaro I must do by force what I cannot otherwise hope from the Proud and Cruel Agnes Well then added the King since it is not fit for me to Authorize publickly a Violence in the midst of my Kingdom chuse those of my Subjects which you think most capable of serving you and take away by force the Beauty that charms you and if she do not yield to your Love put that Power you are Master of in execution to oblige her to marry you Don Alvaro ravish'd with this Proposition which at the same time flatter'd both his Love and Anger cast himself at the feet of the King and renew'd his Acknowledgments by fresh Protestations and thought of nothing but employing his unjust Authority against Agnes Don Pedro had been about three months absent when Alvaro undertook what the King counsell'd him to tho' the Moderation was known to him yet he feared his Presence and would not attend the Return of a Rival with whom he would avoid all Disputes One Night when the sad Agnes full of her ordinary Inquietudes in vain expected the God of Sleep she heard a noise and after saw some Men unknown enter her Chamber whose Measures being well consulted they carried her out of the Palace and putting her in a close Coach forc'd her out of Coimbra without being hinder'd by any Obstacle She knew not of whom to complain nor whom to suspect Don Alvaro seem'd too puissant to seek his satisfaction this way and she accus'd not the Prince of this Attempt of whom she had so favourable an Opinion whatever she could think or say she could not hinder her ill Fortune They hurried her
Youth continu'd she with a tender Tone to the Cruelty of Don Alvaro Live Sir live and let the unhappy Agnes be the only Sacrifice Alas cruel Maid interrupted Don Pedro why do you command me to live if I cannot live with you Is it an effect of your Hatred No Sir replyed Agnes I do not hate you and I wish to God that I cou'd be indifferent that I might be able to defend myself against the Weakness with which I find myself possess'd Oblige me to say no more Sir You see my Blushes interpret them as you please but consider yet that the less Aversion I find I have for you the more culpable I am and that I ought no more to see or speak to you In fine Sir if you oppose my Retreat I declare to you that Don Alvaro as odious as he is to me shall serve for a Defence against you and that I will sooner consent to marry a Man I abhor than to favour a Passion that cost Constantia her Life Well then Agnes reply'd the Prince with looks all languishing and dying follow the Motions which barbarous Vertue inspires you with take those Measures you judge necessary against an unfortunate Lover and enjoy the Glory of having cruelly refus'd me At these Words he went away and as troubled as Agnes was she would not stay him Her Courage combated with her Grief and she thought now more than ever of departing 'T was difficult for her to go out of Coimbra and not to defer what appear'd to her so necessary she went immediately to the Apartment of the King notwithstanding the interest of Don Alvaro the King receiv'd her with a Countenance severe not being able to consent to what she demanded You shall not go hence said he and if you are wise you shall enjoy here with Don Alvaro both my Friendship and my Favour I have taken another Resolution answer'd Agnes and the World has no part in it You will accept Don Pedro reply'd the King his Fortune is sufficient to satisfie an Ambitious Maid But you will not succeed Constantia who lov'd you so tenderly and Spain has Princesses enough to fill up part of the Throne which I shall leave him Sir reply'd Agnes piqu'd at this Discourse If I had a disposition to Love and a design to Marry perhaps the Prince might be the only Person on whom I would fix 'em And you know if my Ancestors did not possess Crowns yet they were worthy to wear ' em But let it be how it will I am resolv'd to depart and to remain no longer a Slave in a place to which I came Free This bold Answer which shew'd the Character of Agnes anger'd and astonish'd the King You shall go when we think fit reply'd he and without being a Slave at Coimbra you shall attend our Orders Agnes saw she must stay and was so griev'd at it that she kept her Chamber several days without daring to inform herself of the Prince and this Retirement spar'd her the Affliction of being visited by Don Alvaro During this Don Pedro fell sick and was in so great Danger that there was a general Apprehension of his Death Agnes did not in the least doubt but it was an Effect of his Discontent she thought at first she had strength and resolution enough to see him die rather than to favour him but had she reflected a little she had soon been convinc'd to the contrary She found not in her Heart that cruel Constancy she thought there so well establish'd she felt Pains and Inquietude shed Tears made Wishes and in fine discover'd that she Lov'd 'T was impossible to see the Heir of the Crown a Prince that deserv'd so well even at the point of Death without a general Affliction The People who lov'd him pass'd whole days at the Palace-gate to hear News of him The Court was all overwhelm'd with Grief Don Alvaro knew very well how to conceal a malicious Joy under an Appearance of Sadness Elvira full of Tenderness and perhaps of Remorse suffer'd also on her side The King altho' he condemn'd the Love of his Son yet still had a Tenderness for him and cou'd not resolve to lose him Agnes de Castro who knew the Cause of his Distemper expected the end of it with strange Anxieties In fine after a Month had pass'd away in Fears they began to have a little Hopes of his Recovery The Prince and Don Alvaro were the only Persons that were not glad of it But Agnes rejoyc'd enough for all the rest Don Pedro seeing that he must live whether he wou'd or no thought of nothing but passing his days in Melancholly and Discontent As soon as he was in a condition to walk he sought out the most solitary Places and gain'd so much upon his own Weakness to go every-where where Agnes was not but her Idea follow'd him always and his Memory faithful to represent her to him with all her Charms render'd her always dangerous One day when they had carry'd him into the Garden he sought out a Labyrinth which was at the farthest part of it to hide his Melancholly during some hours there he found the sad Agnes whom Grief little different from his had brought thither the sight of her whom he expected not made him tremble She saw by his pale and meagre Face the remains of his Distemper his Eyes full of Languishment troubled her and tho' her desire was so great to have fled from him an unknown Power stopt her and 't was impossible for her to go After some Moments of Silence which many Sighs interrupted Don Pedro rais'd himself from the place where his Weakness had forc'd him to sit he made Agnes see as he approached her the sad Marks of his Sufferings and not content with the Pity he saw in her Eyes 〈◊〉 have resolv'd my Death then Cruel Agnes said he my desire was the same with yours but Heaven has thought fit to reserve me for other Misfortunes and I see you again as unhappy but more in love than ever There was no need of these Words to move Agnes to Compassion the Languishment of the Prince spoke enough And the Heart of this fair Maid was but too much dispos'd to yield itself She thought then that Constantia ought to be satisfied Love which combated for Don Pedro triumphed over Friendship and found that happy Moment for which the Prince of Portugal had so long sighed Do not reproach me for that which has cost me more than you Sir reply'd she and do not accuse a 〈◊〉 which is neither Ingrateful nor Barbarous and I must tell you that I love you But now I have made you that Confession what is it farther that you require of me Don Pedro who expected not a Change so favourable felt a double Satisfaction and falling at the Feet of Agnes he express'd more by the Silence his Passion created than he could have done by the most eloquent Words After having known all his good Fortune
he then consulted with the Amiable Agnes what was to be fear'd from the King they concluded that the cruel Billet which so troubled the last days of Constantia could come from none but Elvira and Don Alvaro The Prince who knew that his Father had search'd already an Alliance for him and was resolv'd on his Favourite's marrying Agnes 〈◊〉 her so tenderly to prevent these Persecuâ—â— by consenting to a secret Marriage that 〈◊〉 having a long time considered she at 〈◊〉 consented I will do what you will have me saiâ— she though I presage nothing but fatal Events 〈◊〉 it all my Blood turns to Ice when I think of this Marriage and the Image of Constantia 〈◊〉 hinder me from doing it The Amorous Prince surmounted all 〈◊〉 Scruples and separated himself from 〈◊〉 with a Satisfaction which soon redoubled his Forces he saw her afterward with the pleasure of a Mystery and the Day of their Union arriv'd Dom Gill Bishop of Guarda performed the Ceremony of the Marriage in the presence of several Witnesses faithful to Don Pedro who saw him Possessor of all the Chaâ—ms of the Fair Agnes She liv'd not the more peaceable for belonging to the Prince of Portugal her Enemies who continually persecuted her left her not without troubles and the King whom her Refusal inrag'd laid his absolute Commands on her to Marry Don Alvaro with Threats to force her to it if she continued Rebellious The Prince took loudly her part and this joyn'd to the Refusal he made of marrying the Princess of Arragon caus'd Suspicions of the Truth in the King his Father He was seconded by those that were too much interested not to unriddle this Secret Don Alvaro and his Sister acted with so much Care gave so many Gifts and made so many Promises that they discovered the secret Engagements of Don Pedro and Agnes The King wanted but little of breaking out into all the Rage and Fury so great a Disappointment could inspire him with against the Princess Don Alvaro whose Love was chang'd into the most violent Hatred appeas'd the first Transports of the King by making him comprehend that if they could break the Marriage of 'em that would not be a sufficient Revenge and so poysoned the Soul of the King to consent to the Death of Agnes The Barbarous Don Alvaro offered his Arm for this terrible Execution and his Rage was Security for the Sacrifice The King who thought the Glory of his Family disgraced by this Alliance and his own 〈◊〉 particular in the Procedure of his Son gave full Power to this Murder to make the innocent Agnes a Victim to his Rage It was not easie to execute this horrid Design Though the Prince saw Agnes but in secret yet all his Cares were still awake for her and he was married to her above a Year before Don Alvaro could find out an Opportunity so long sought for The Prince delivered himself but little and very rarely went far from Coimbra but on a Day an Unfortunate Day and mark'd out by Heaven for an unheard of and horrid Assassin he made a Party to hunt at a fine House which the King of Portugal had near the City Agnes lov'd every thing that gave the Prince satisfaction but a secret Trouble made her apprehend some Misfortune in this unhappy Journey Sir said she to him alarm'd without knowing the Reason why I tremble seeing you to day as it were design'd the last of my Life Preserve yourself my Dear Prince and though the Exercise you take be not very dangerous beware of the least Hazards and bring me back all that I trust with you Don Pedro who had never found her so Handsome and so Charming before embraced her several times and went out of the Palace with his Followers with a design not to return till the next Day He was no sooner gone but the Cruel Don Alvaro prepared himself for the Execution he had resolv'd on he thought it of that importance that it required more Hands than his Own and so chose for his Companions Diego Lopes Pacheo and Pedro Cuello two Monsters like himself whose Cruelty he was assur'd of by the Presents he had made ' em They waited the coming of the Night and the lovely Agnes was in her first sleep which the last of her Life when these Assassins approach'd her Bed Nothing made resistance to Don Alvaro who could do every thing and whom the blackest Furies introduced to Agnes she wakened and opening her Curtains saw by the Candle burning in her Chamber the Poinard with which Don Alvaro was arm'd he having not his Face covered she easily knew him and forgetting herself to think of nothing but the Prince Just Heaven said she lifting up her fine Eyes if you will revenge Constantia satisfie yourself with my Blood only and spare that of Don Pedro. The Barbarous Man that heard her gave her not time to say more and finding he could never by all he could do by Love touch the Heart of the Fair Agnes he pierc'd it with his Poinard his Accomplices gave her several Wounds tho' there were no Necessity of so many to put an End to an Innocent Life What a sad Spectacle was this for those who approach'd her Bed the next Day And what dismal News was this to the Unfortunate Prince of Portugal He return'd to Coimbra to the first Report of this Adventure and saw what had certainly cost him his Life if Men could die of Grief after having a thousand times embraced the bloody Body of Agnes and said all that a just Despair could inspire him with he ran like a Mad-man into the Palace demanding the Murderers of his Wife of things that could not hear him In fine he saw the King and without observing any Respect he gave a Loose to his Resentment after having rail'd a long time overwhelm'd with Grief he fell into a Swoon which continued all that Day They carried him into his Apartment and the King believing that this Misfortune would prove his Cure repented not of what he had permitted Don Alvaro and the two other Assassins quitted Coimbra This Absence of theirs made 'em appear guilty of the Crime for which the Afflicted Prince vowed a speedy Vengeance to the Ghost of his Lovely Agnes resolving to pursue them to the uttermost part of the Universe He got a considerable number of Men together sufficient to have made Resistance even on the King of Portugal himself if he should yet take the Part of the Murderers with these he ravag'd the whole Country as far as the Duero Waters and carried on a War even till the Death of the King continually mixing Tears with Blood which he gave to the Revenge of his Dearest Agnes Such was the deplorable End of the Unfortunate Love of Don Pedro of Portugal and of the Fair Agnes de Castro whose Remembrance he faithfully preserved in his Heart even upon the Throne to which he mounted by the Right of his Birth after the
Death of the King The End of AGNES de CASTRO THE LOVER's WATCH OR THE ART OF Making LOVE BEING Rules for Courtship For Every HOUR in the DAY and NIGHT. By Mrs. BEHN LONDON Printed by W. Onley for S. Briscoe 1697. THE Lover's Watch OR THE ART OF Making LOVE The ARGUMENT 'T IS in the most Happy and August Court of the Best and Greatest Monarch of the World that Damon a young Nobleman whom we will render under that Name languishes for a Maid of Quality who will give us leave to call her Iris Their Births are equally Illustrious they are both Rich and both Young their Beauty such as I dae not too nicely particularize lest I should discover which I am not permitted to do who these charming Lovers are Let it suffice that Iris is the most fair and accomplisht Person that ever adorn'd a Court and that Damon is only worthy of the Glory of her Favour for he has all that can render him lovely in the fair Eyes of the Amiable Iris. Nor is he Master of those Superficial Beauties alone that please at first Sight he can charm the Soul with a thousand Arts of Wit and Gallantry And in a word I may say without flattering either that there is no one Beauty no one Grace no perfection of Mind and Body that wants to compleat a Victory on both sides The Agreement of Age Fortunes Quality and Humours in these two fair Lovers made the impatient Damon hope that nothing would oppose his Passion and if he saw himself every Hour languishing for the Adorable Maid he did not however despair And if Iris sigh'd it was not for fear of being one day more happy In the midst of the Tranquility of these two Lovers Iris was obliged to go into the Country for some Months whither 't was impossible for Damon to wait on her he being oblig'd to attend the King his Master and being the most Amorous of his Sex suffer'd with extream Impatience thâ— Absence of his Mistress Nevertheless he fail'd not to send to her every day and gave up all his melancholly Hours to Thinking Sighing and Writing to her the softest Letters that Love could inspire So that Iris even blessed that Absence that gave her so tender and convincing Proofs of his Passion and found this dear way of Conversing even recompensed all her Sighs for his Absence After a little Intercourse of this kind Damon be thought himself to ask Iris a Discretion which he had won of her before she left the Town and in a Billet-doux to that purpose prest her very earnestly for it Iris being infinitely pleas'd with his Importunity suffer'd him to ask it often and he never fail'd of doing so But as I do not here design to relate the Adventures of these two Amiable Persons nor give you all the Billet-douxes that past between them You shall here find nothing but the Watch this charming Maid sent her impatient Lover IRIS to DAMON IT must be confest Damon that you are the most importuning Man in the World Your Billets have an hundred times demanded a Discretion which you won of me and tell me you will not wait my Return to be paid You are either a very faithless Creditor or believe me very unjust that you dun with such Impatience But to let you see I am a Maid of Honour and value my Word I will acquit myself of this Obligation I have to you and send you a Watch of my fashion perhaps you never saw any so good It is not one of those that have always something to be mended in it but one that is without Fault very just and good and will remain so as long as you continue to love me But Damon know that the very Minute you cease to do so the String will break and it will go no more 'T is only useful in my Absence and when I return 't will change its Motion And though I have set it but for the Spring-time 't will serve you the whole Year round and 't will be necessary only that you alter the business of the Hours which my Cupid in the middle of my Watch points you out according to the length of the Days and Nights Nor is the Dart of that little God directed to those Hours so much to inform you how they pass as how you ought to pass them how you ought to employ those of your Absence from Iris. 'T is there you shall find the whole Business of a Lover from his Mistress for I have design'd it a Rule to all your Actions The Consideration of the Workman ought to make you set a Value upon the Work And though it be not an accomplisht and perfect Piece yet Damon you ought to be grateful and esteem it since I have made it for you alone But however I may boast of the Design I know as well as I believe you love me that you will not suffer me to have the Glory of it wholly but will say in your heart That Love the great Instructor of the Mind That forms a new and fashions every Soul Refines the gross Defects of Humane kind Humbles the Proud and Vain inspires the Dull Gives Cowards noble Heat in Fight And teaches feeble Woman how to write That doth the Vniverse command Does from my Iris Heart direct her Hand I give you the liberty to say this to your Heart if you please And that you may know with what Justice you do so I will confess in my turn The Confession That Love 's my Conduct where I go And Love instructs me all I do Prudence no longer is my Guide Nor take I Counsel of my Pride In vain does Honour now invade In vain does Reason take my part If against Love it do perswade If it rebel against my Heart If the soft Ev'ning do invite And I incline to take the Air The Birds the Spring the Flowers no more delight 'T is Love makes all the Pleasure there Love which about me still I bear I 'm charm'd with what I thither bring And add a Softness to the Spring If for Devotion I design Love meets me even at the shrine In all my Worships claims a part And robs even Heaven of my Heart All Day does Counsel and controul And all the Night employs my Soul No wonder then if all you think be true That Love 's concern'd in all I do for you And Damon you know that Love is no ill Master and I must say with a Blush that he has found me no unapt Scholar and he instructs too agreeably not to succeed in all he undertakes Who can resist his soft Commands When he resolves what God withstands But I ought to explain to you my Watch The naked Love which you will find in the middle of it with his Wings clip'd to shew you he is fix'd and constant and will not fly away points you out with his Arrow the four and twenty Hours that compose the Day and the Night Over
every Hour you will find written what you ought to do during its Course and every Half-hour is marked with a Sigh since the quality of a Lover is to sigh day and night Sighs are the Children of Lovers that are born every hour And that my Watch may always be just Love himself ought to conduct it and your Heart should keep Time with the Movement My Present's delicate and new If by your Heart the Motion 's set According as that 's false or true You 'll find my Watch will answer it Every hour is tedious to a Lover separated from his Mistress and to shew you how good I am I will have my Watch instruct you to pass some of them without Inquietude that the force of your Imagination may sometimes charm the Trouble you have for my Absence Perhaps I am mistaken here My Heart may too much Credit give But Damon you can charm my Fear And soon my Error undeceive But I will not disturb my Repose at this time with a Jealousie which I hope is altogether frivolous and vain but begin to instruct you in the Mysteries of my Watch Cast then your Eyes upon the Eighth Hour in the Morning which is the Hour I would have you begin to wake You will find there written Eight a Clock Agreeable Reverie DO not rise yet you may find Thoughts agreeable enough when you awake to entertain you longer in Bed And 't is in that hour you ought to recollect all the Dreams you had in the Night If you have dream'd any thing to my Advantage confirm yourself in that thought but if to my Disadvantage renounce it and disown the injurious Dream 'T is in this Hour also that I give you leave to reflection all that I have ever said and done that has been most obliging to you and that gives you the most tender Sentiments The Reflection Remember Damon while your mind Reflects on things that charm and please You give me Proofs that you are kind And set my doubting Soul at ease For when your Heart receives with Joy The thoughts of Favours which I give My Smiles in vain I not imploy And on the Square we love and live Think then on all I ever did That e're was charming e're was dear Let nothing from that Soul be hid Whose Griefs and Joys I feel and share All that your Love and Faith have sought All that your Vows aad Sighs have bought Now render present to your Thought And for what 's to come I give you leave Damon to flatter your self and to expect I shall still pursue those Methods whose remembrance charms so well But if it be possible conceive these kind Thoughts between Sleeping and Waking that all my too forward Complaisance my Goodness and my Tenderness which I confess to have for you may pass for half Dreams for 't is most certain That though the Favours of the Fair Are ever to the Lover dear Yet lest he should reproach that easie Flame That buys its Satisfaction with its Shame She ought but rarely to confess How much she finds of Tenderness Nicely to guard the yielding part And hide the hard-kept Secret in her Heart For let me tell you Damon though the Passion of a Woman of Honour be never so innocent and the Lover never so discreet and honest her Heart feels I know not what of Reproach within at the Reflection of any Favours she has allow'd him For my part I never call to mind the least soft or kind Word I have spoken to Damon without finding at the same instant my Face cover'd over with Blushes and my Heart with sensible Pain I sigh at the Remembrance of every Touch I have stol'n from his Hand and have upbraided my Soul which confesses so much guilty Love as that secret desire of Touching him made appear I am angry at the Discovery though I am pleas'd at the same time with the Satisfaction I take in doing so and ever disorder'd at the remembrance of such Arguments of too much Love And these unquiet Sentiments alone are sufficient to perswade me that our Sex cannot be reserv'd too much And I have often on these occasions said to my self The Reserve Though Damon every Vertue have With all that pleases in his Form That can adorn the Just and Brave That can the coldest Bosom warm Though Wit and Honour there abound Yet the Pursuer's ne'r pursu'd And when my Weakness he has found His Love will sink to Gratitude While on the Asking Part he lives 'T is she th' Obliger is who gives And he that at one throw the Stake has won Gives over Play since all the Stock is gone And what dull Gamester ventures certain Store With Losers who can set no more Nine a Clock Design to please no Body I Should continue to accuse you of that Vice I have often done that of Laziness if you remain'd past this Hour in Bed 't is time for you to rise my Watch tells you 't is Nine a Clock Remember that I am absent therefore do not take too much pains in dressing your self and setting your Person off The Question Tell me What can he design Who in his Mistress absence will be fine Why does he Cock and Comb and Dress Why is the Cravat-string in print What does th' Embroyder'd Coat confess Why to the Glass this long Address If there be nothing in 't If no new Conquest is design'd If no Beauty fill his Mind Let Fools and Fops whose Talents lie In being neat in being spruce Be drest in vain and tawdery With Men of Sence 't is out of use The only Folly that Distinction sets Between the noisie flutt'ring Fools and Wits Remember Iris is away And sighing to your Valet cry Spare your Perfumes and Care to day I have no business to be gay Since Iris is not by I 'll be all negligent in Dress And scarce set off for Complaisance Put me on nothing that may please But only such as may give no Offence Say to your self as you are Dressing Would it please Heaven that I mightsee Iris to day But oh 't is impossible Therefore all that I shall see will be but indifferent Objects since 't is Iris only that I wish to see And sighing wisper to your self The Sigh Ah! Charming Object of my wishing Thought Ah! Soft Idea of a distant Bliss That only art in Dreams and Fancy brought To give short Intervals of Happiness But when I waking find thou absent art And with thee all that I adore What Pains what Anguish fills my Heart What Sadness seizes me all o're All entertainments I neglect Since Iris is no longer there Beauty scarce claims my bare Respect Since in the Throng I find not her Ah then How vain it were to dress and show Since all I wish to please is absent now 'T is with these Thoughts Damon that your Mind ought to be employed during your time of Dressing And you are too knowing in Love to be ignorant That
more modest in that Point than naturally we are being too apt to have a favourable Opinion of ourselves And 't is rather the Effects of a Fear that we are flatter'd than our own ill Opinion of the Beauty flatter'd and that the Praiser does not think so well of it as we do our selves or as at least he wish she shou'd Not but there are Grains of Allowance for the Temper of him that speaks One Man's Humour is to talk much and he may be permitted to enlarge upon the Praise he gives the Person he pretends to without being accus'd of much Guilt Another hates to be Wordy from such an one I have known one soft Expression one tender Thing go as far as whole Days everlasting Protestations urg'd with Vows and mighty Eloquence And both the one and the other indeed must be allow'd in good Manners to stretch the Complement beyond the Bounds of nice Truth and we must not wonder to hear a Man call a Woman a Beauty when she is not Ugly or another a Great Wit if she have but common Sence above the Vulgar well Bred when well Drest and good Natur'd when Civil And as I shou'd be very ridiculous if I took all you said for absolute Truth so I should be very unjust not to allow you very sincere in almost all you said besides and those Things the most material to Love Honour and Friendship And for the rest Damon be it true or false this believe You speak with such a Grace that I cannot chuse but Credit you and find an infinite Pleasure in that Faith because I lovu you And if I cannot find the Cheat I am contented you shou'd deceive me on because yoe do it so agreeably Six a Clock Walk without Design YOU yet have Time to Walk and my Watch foresaw you cou'd not refuse your Friends You must to the Park or to the Mall for the Season is fair and inviting and all the young Beauties love those Places too well not to be there 'T is there that a Thousand Intrigues are carried on and as many more design'd 'T is there that every one is set out for Conquest and who aim at nothing less than Hearts Guard yours well my Damon and be not always admiring what you see Do not in passing by sigh 'em silent Praises Suffer not so much as a guilty Wish to approach your Thoughts nor a heedful Glance to steal from your fine Eyes Those are Regards you ought only to have for her you Love But oh above all have a Care of what you say You are not reproachable if you should remain silent all the Time of your Walk nor wou'd those that know you believe it the Effects of Dulness but Melancholy And if any of your Friends ask you Why you are so I will give you leave to sigh and say The Mall-Content Ah? Wonder not if I appear Regardless of the Pleasures here Or that my Thoughts are thus confin'd To the just Limits of my Mind My Eyes take no Delight to rove O've all the smiling Charmers of the Grove Since she is absent whom they love Ask me not Why the flow'ry Spring Or the gay little Birds that sing Or the young Streams no more delight Or Shades and Arbours can't invite Why the soft Murmurs of the Wind Within the thick grown Groves confin'd No more my Soul transport or cheer Since all that 's charming Iris is not here Nothing seems glorious nothing fair Then suffer me to wander thus With down-cast Eyes and Arms a-cross Let Beauty unregarded go The Trees and Flowers unheeded strow Let purling Streams neglected glide With all the Spring 's adorning Pride 'T is Iris only Soul can give To the dull Shades and Plains and make 'em thrive Nature and my lost Joys retrieve I do not for all this wholly confine your Eyes You may look indifferently on all but with a particular Regard on none You may praise all the Beauties in general but no single one too much I will not exact from you neither an entire Silence There are a thousand Civilities you ought to pay to all your Friends and Acquaintance and while I caution you of Actions that may get you the Reputation of a Lover of some of the Fair that haunt those Places I wou'd not have you by an unnecessary and uncomplaisant Sullenness gain that of a Person too negligent or morose I wou'd have you remiss in no one Punctilio of Good Manners I wou'd have you very just and pay all you owe but in these Affairs be not over generous and give away too much In fine You may Look Speak and Walk but Damon do it all without Design And while you do so remember that Iris sent you this Advice The Warning Take heed my Damon in the Grove Where Beauties with Design do walk Take heed my Damon how you look and talk For there are Ambuscades of Love The very Winds that softly blow Will help betray your easie Heart And all the Flowers that blushing grow The Shades above and Rivulets below Will take the Victor's part Remember Damon all my Safety lies In the just Conduct of your Eyes The Heart by Nature good and brave Is to those treacherous Guards a Slave If they let in the fair destructive Foe Scarce Honour can defend her Noble Seat Ev'n she will be corrupted too Or driv'n to a Retreat The Soul is but the Cully to the Sight And must be pleas'd in what that takes delight Therefore examine your self well and conduct your Eyes during this Walk like a Lover that seeks nothing And do not stay too long in these places Seven a Clock Voluntary Retreat T IS time to be weary 't is Night Take Leave of your Friends and retire Home 'T is in this Retreat that you ought to recollect in your Thoughts all the Actions of the Day and all those Things that you ought to give me an Account of in your Letter You cannot hide the least Secret from me without Treason against Sacred Love For all the World agrees that Confidence is one of the greatest Proofs of the Passion of Love and that Lover who refuses this Confidence to the Person he loves is to be suspected to love but very indifferently and to think very poorly of the Sence and Generosity of his Mistress But that you may acquit your self like a Man and a Lover of Honour and leave me no doubt upon my Soul think of all you have done this Day that I may have all the Story of it in your next Letter to me But deal faithfully and neither add nor diminish in your Relation the Truth and Sincerity of your Confession will attone even for little Faults that you shall commit against me in some of those Things you shall tell me For if you have fail'd in any Point or Circumstance of Love I had much rather hear it from you than another For 't is a sort of Repentance to accuse yourself and wou'd be a Crime
time pleas'd and I believe I love too well not to obey you Love Secur'd Love of all Joys the sweetest is The most substantial Happiness The softest Blessing Life can crave The noblest Passion Souls can have Yet if no Interruptions were No Difficulties came between ' Twou'd not be render'd half so dear The Skie is gayest when small Clouds are seen The sweetest Flower the blushing Rose Amidst the Thorns securest grows If Love were one continu'd Joy How soon the Happiness wou'd cloy The wiser Gods did this foresee And to preserve the Bliss entire Mix'd it with Doubt and Jealousie Those necessary Fuels to the Fire Sustain'd the fleeting Pleasures with new Fears With little Quarrels Sighs and Tears With Absence that tormenting Smart That makes a Minute seem a Day A Day a Year to the impatient Heart That languishes in the delay But cannot sigh the tender Pain away That still returns and with a greater Force Through every Vein it takes its grateful Course But whatsoe'er the Lover does sustain Tho' he still sigh complain and fear It cannot be a Mortal Pain When Two do the Affliction bear Ten a Clock Reflections AFter the afflicting Thoughts of my absence make some Reflections on your Happiness Think it a Blessing to be permitted to love me Think it so because I permit it to you alone and never could be drawn to allow it any other The first thing you ought to consider is that at length I have suffer'd my self to be overcome to quit that Nicety that is natural to me and receive your Addresses nay thought 'em agreeable and that I have at last confest the Present of your Heart is very dear to me 'T is true I did not accept of it the first time it was offer'd me nor before you had told me a thousand times that you could not escape expiring if I did not give you leave to sigh for me and gaze upon me and that there was an absolute necessity for me either to give you leave to love or die And all those Rigors my Severity has made you suffer ought now to be recounted to your Memory as Subjects of Pleasure and you ought to esteem and judge of the Price of my Affections by the Difficulties you found in being able to touch my Heart Not but you have Charms that can conquer at first sight and you ought not to have valued me less if I had been more easily gain'd But 't is enough to please you to think and know I am gain'd no matter when or how When after a thousand Cares and Inquietudes that which we wish for succeeds to our Desires the Remembrance of those Pains and Pleasures we encounter'd in arriving at it gives us a new Joy Remember also Damon that I have prefer'd you before all those that have been thought worthy of my Esteem and that I have shut my Eyes to all their pleading Merits and cou'd survey none but yours Consider then that you had not only the Happiness to please me but that you only found out the way of doing it and I had the Goodness at last to tell you so contrary to all the Delicacy and Niceness of my Soul contrary to my Prudence and all those Scruples you know are natural to my Humour My Tenderness proceeded further and I gave you innocent Marks of my new-born Passion on all Occasions that presented themselves For after that from my Eyes and Tongue you knew the Sentiments of my Heart I confirm'd that Truth to you by my Letters Confess Damon that if you make these Reflections you will not pass this Hour very disagreeably Beginning Love As free as wanton Winds I liv'd That unconcern'd do play No broken Faith no Fate I griev'd No Fortune gave me Joy A dull Content crown'd all my Hours My Heart no Sighs opprest I call'd in vain on no deaf Pow'rs To ease a tortur'd Breast The sighing Swains regardless pin'd And strove in vain to please With Pain I civilly was kind But could afford no Ease Tho' Wit and Beauty did abound The Charm was wanting still That could inspire the tender wound Or bend my careless will Till in my Heart a kindling Flame Your softer Sighs had blown Which I with striving Love and Shame Too sensibly did own Whate'er the God before cou'd plead What'er the Youth's Desert The feeble Siege in vain was laid Against my stubborn Heart At first my Sighs and Blushes spoke Just when your Sighs wou'd rise And when you gaz'd I wish'd to look But durst not meet your Eyes I trembled when my Hand you press'd Nor cou'd my Guilt controul But Love prevail'd and I confess'd The Secrets of my Soul And when upon the giving part My Present to avow By all the Ways confirm'd my Heart That Honour wou'd allow Too mean was all that I cou'd say Too poorly understood I gave my Soul the noblest way My Letters made it good You may believe I did not easily nor suddenly bring my Heart to this Condescension but I lov'd and all things in Damon were capable of making me resolve so to do I could not think it a Crime where every Grace and every Vertue justified my Choice And when once one is assur'd of this we find not much difficulty in owning that Passion which will so well commend ones Judgment and there is no Obstacle that Love does not surmount I confess'd my Weakness a thousand ways before I told it you and I remember all those things with Pleasure but yet I remember 'em also with Shame Eleven a Clock Supper I Will believe Damon that you have been so well entertain'd during this Hour and have found so much Sweetness in these Thoughts that if one did not tell you that Supper waits you would lose yourself in Reflections so pleasing many more Minutes But you must go where you are expected perhaps among the Fair the Young the Gay but do not abandon your Heart to too much Joy tho' you have so much Reason to be contented but the greatest Pleasures are alwaies imperfect if the Object belov'd do not partake of it For this Reason be cheerful and merry with Reserve Do not talk too much I know you do not love it and if you do it 't will be the effect of too much Complaisance or with some design of pleasing too well for you know your own charming Power and how agreeable your Wit and Conversation is to all the World Remember I am covetous of every Word you speak that is not address'd to me and envy the happy Listner if I am not by And I may reply to you as Aminta did to Philander when he charg'd her of loving a Talker And because perhaps you have not heard it I will to divert you send it you and at the same time assure you Damon that your more noble Quality of speaking little has reduc'd me to a perfect Abhorrence of those Wordy Sparks that value themselves upon their ready and much Talking upon every trivial Subject
a Lover as you are but you are thinking now how to render yourself worthy the Glory of such a God-like Master by projecting a thousand things of Gallantry and Danger And tho' I confess such Thoughts are proper for your Youth your Quality and the Place you have the Honour to hold under our Sovereign yet let me tell you Damon you will not be without Inquietude if you think of either being a delicate Poet or a brave Warriour for Love will still interrupt your Glory however you may think to divert him either by Writing or Fighting And you ought to remember these Verses Love and Glory Beneath the kind protecting Lawrel's shade For sighing Lovers and for Warriours made The soft Adonis and rough Mars were laid Both were design'd to take their Rest But Love the gentle Boy opprest And false Alarms shook the stern Hero's Breast This thinks to soften all his Toils of War In the dear Arms of the obliging Fair And That by Hunting to divert his Care All Day o'er Hills and Plains wild Beasts he chas'd Swift as the flying Winds his eager haste In vain the God of Love pursues as fast But oh no Sports no Toils divertive prove The Evening still returns him to the Grove To sigh and languish for the Queen of Love Where Elegies and Sonnets he does frame And to the list'ning Ecchoes sighs her Name And on the Trees carves Records of his Flame The Warriour in the dusty Camp all Day With ratling Drums and Trumpets does essay To fright the tender flatt'ring God away But still alas in vain whate'er Delight What Care he takes the wanton Boy to fright Love still revenges it at Night 'T is then he haunts the Royal Tent The sleeping Hours in Sighs are spent And all his Resolutions does prevent In all his Pains Love mix'd his Smart In every Wound he feels a Dart And the soft God is trembling in his Heart Then he retires to shady Groves And there in vain he seeks Repose And strives to fly from what he cannot lose While thus he lay Bellona came And with a generous fierce Disdain Vpbraids him with his feeble Flame Arise the World 's great Terror and their Care Behold the glitt'ring Host from far That waits the Conduct of the God of War Beneath these glorious Lawrels which were made To Crown the Noble Victor's Head Why thus supinely art thou laid Why on that Face where awful Terror grew Thy Sun-parc'd Cheeks why do I view The shining Tracks of falling Tears bedew What God has wrought these universal Harms What fatal Nymph what fatal Charms Has made the Hero deaf to War's Alarms Now let the Conqu'ring Ensigns up be furl'd Learn to be gay be soft and curl'd And idle lose the Empire of the World In fond Effeminate Delights go on Lose all the Glories you have won Bravely resolve to love and be undone 'T is thus the Martial Virgin pleads Thus she the Am'rous God perswades To fly from Venus and the flow'ry Meads You see here that Poets and Warriours are oftentimes in Affliction even under the Shades of their protecting Lawrels and let the Nymphs and Virgins sing what they please to their Memory under the Mirtles and on Flow'ry Beds much better Days than in the Campaign Nor do the Crowns of Glory surpass those of Love The first is but an empty Name which is won kept and lost with Hazard but Love more nobly employs a brave Soul and all his Pleasures are solid and lasting and when one has a worthy Object of one's Flame Glory accompanies Love too But go to sleep the Hour is come and 't is now that your Soul ought to be entertain'd in Dreams Two a Clock Conversation in Dreams I Doubt not but you will think it very bold and arbitrary that my Watch should pretend to rule even your Sleeping Hours and that my Cupid should govern your very Dreams which are but Thoughts disorder'd in which Reason has no part Chimera's of the Imagination and no more But tho' my Watch does not pretend to Counsel unreasonable yet you must allow it here if not to pass the Bounds at least to advance to the utmost limits of it I am assur'd that after having thought so much of me in the Day you will think of me also in the Night And the first Dream my Watch permits you to make is to think you are in Conversation with me Imagine Damon that you are talking to me of your Passion with all the Transport of a Lover and that I hear you with Satisfaction That all my Looks and Blushes while you are speaking gives you new Hopes and Assurances that you are not indifferent to me and that I give you a thousand Testimonies of my Tenderness all Innocent and Obliging While you are saying all that Love can dictate all that Wit and good Manners can invent and all that I wish to hear from Damon believe in this Dream all flattering and dear that after having shew'd me the Ardour of your Flame that I confess to you the Bottom of my Heart and all the loving Secrets there that I give you Sigh for Sigh Tenderness for Tenderness Heart for Heart and Pleasure for Pleasure And I would have your Sense of this Dream so perfect and your Joy so entire that if it happen you should awake with the Satisfaction from this Dream you should find your Heart still panting with the soft Pleasure of the dear deceiving Transport and you should be ready to cry out Ah! how sweet it is to dream When Charming Iris is the Theme For such I wish my Damon your sleeping and your waking Thoughts should render me to your Heart Three a Clock Capricious Suffering in Dreams IT is but just to mix a little Chagrin with these Pleasures a little Bitter with your Sweet you may be cloy'd with too long an Imagination of my Favours And I will have your Fancy in Dreams represent me to it as the most capricious Maid in the World I know here you will accuse my Watch and blame me with unnecessary Cruelty as you will call it but Lovers have their little Ends their little Advantages to pursue by Methods wholly unaccountable to all but that Heart that contrives 'em And as good a Lover as I believe you you will not enter into my Design at first sight and though on reasonable Thoughts you will be satisfied with this Conduct of mine at its first approach you will be ready to cry out The Request Oh Iris let my sleeping Hours be fraught With Joys which you deny my waking Thought Is 't not enough you absent are Is 't not enough I sigh all Day And languish out my Life in Care To e'ery Passion made a Prey I burn with Love and soft Desire I rave with Jealousie and Fear All Day for Ease my Soul I tire In vain I search it e'ery-where It dwells not with the Witty or the Fair. It is not in the Camp or Court In Bus'ness Musick
or in Sport The Plays the Park and Mall afford No more than the dull Basset-board The Beauties in the Drawing-room With all their Sweetness all their Bloom No more my faithful Eyes invite Nor rob my Iris of a Sigh or Glance Vnless soft Thoughts of her incite A Smile or trivial Complaisance Then since my Days so anxious prove Ah Cruel Tyrant give A little Loose to Joys in Love And let your Damon live Let him in Dreams be happy made And let his Sleep some Bliss provide The nicest Maid may yield in Night's dark shade What she so long by Day-light had deny'd There let me think you present are And court my Pillow for my Fair. There let me find you kind and that you give All that a Man of Honour dares receive And may my Eyes Eternal Watches keep Father than want that Pleasure when I sleep Some such Complaint as this I know you will make but Damon if the little Quarrels of Lovers render the reconciling Moments so infinitely Charming you must needs allow that these little Chagrins in capricious Dreams must awaken you to more Joy to find 'em but Dreams than if you had met with no Disorder there 'T is for this Reason that I wou'd have you suffer a little Pain for a coming Pleasure nor indeed is it possible for you to escape the Dreams my Cupid points you out You shall dream that I have a thousand Foiblesses something of the lightness of my Sex that my Soul is employ'd in a thousand Vanities that proud and fond of Lovers I make Advances for the Glory of a Slave without any other Interest or Design than that of being ador'd I will give you leave to think my Heart fickle and that far from resigning it to any one I lend it only for a Day or an Hour and take it back at pleasure that I am a very Coquet even to Impertinence All this I give you leave to think and to offend me but 't is in Sleep only that I permit it for I would never pardon you the least Offence of this nature if in any other kind than in a Dream Nor is it enough Affliction to you to imagine me thus idly vain but you are to pass on to an hundred more capricious Humours as that I exact of you a hundred unjust Things that I pretend you should break off with all your Friends and for the future have none at all that I will myself do those Things which I violently condemn in you and that I will have for others as well as you that tender Friendship that resembles Love or rather that Love which People call Friendship and that I will not after all have you dare complain on me In fine be as ingenious as you please to torment yourself and believe that I am become unjust ungrateful and insensible But were I so indeed O Damon Consider your awaking Heart and tell me Wou'd your Love stand the Proof of all these Faults in me But know that I would have you believe I have none of these Weaknesses though I am not wholly without Faults but those will be excusable to a Lover and this Notion I have of a perfect one Whate'er fantastick Humours rule the Fair She 's still the Lover's Dotage and his Care Four a Clock Jealousie in Dreams DO not think Damon to wake yet for I design you shall yet suffer a little more Jealousie must now possess you that Tyrant over the Heart that compels your very Reason and seduces all your good Nature And in this Dream you must believe that in sleeping which you cou'd not do me the Injustice to do when awake And here you must explain all my Actions to the utmost Disadvantage Nay I will wish that the force of this Jealousie may be so extream that it may make you languish in Grief and be overcome with Anger You shall now imagine that one of your Rivals is with me interrupting all you say or hindring all you wou'd say that I have no attention to what you say aloud to me but that I incline my Ear to hearken to all that he whispers to me You shall repine that he pursues me every-where and is eternally at your Heels if you approach me that I caress him with Sweetness in my Eyes and that Vanity in my Heart that possesses the Humors of almost all the Fair that is to believe it greatly for my Glory to have abundance of Rivals for my Lovers I know you love too well not to be extreamly uneasie in the Company of a Rival and to have one perpetually near me for let him be belov'd or not by the Mistress it must be confess'd a Rival is a very troublesome Person But to afflict you to the utmost I will have you imagine that my Eyes approve of all his Thoughts that they flatter him with Hopes and that I have taken away my Heart from you to make a Present of it to this more lucky Man You shall suffer while possess'd with this Dream all that a cruel Jealousie can make a tender Soul suffer The Torment O Jealousie thou Passion most ingrate Tormenting as Despair envious as Hate Spightful as Witchcraft which th' Invoker harms Worse than the Wretch that suffers by its Charms Thou subtil Poyson in the Fancy bred Diffus'd through every Vein the Heart and Head And over all like wild Contagion spread Thou whose sole Property is to destroy Thou Opposite to Good Antipathy to Joy Whose Attributes are cruel Rage and Fire Reason debauch'd false Sence and mad Desire In fine it is a Passion that ruffles all the Senses and disorders the whole Frame of Nature It makes one hear and see what was never spoke and what never was in view 'T is the Bane of Health and Beauty an unmannerly Intruder and an Evil of Life worse than Death She is a very cruel Tyrant in the Heart she possesses and pierces it with infinite Unquiets and we may lay it down as a certain Maxim She that wou'd wreck a Lover's Heart To the Extent of Cruelty Must his Tranquility subvert To tort'ring Jealousie I speak too sensibly of this Passion not to have lov'd well enough to have been touch'd with it And you shall be this unhappy Lover Damon during this Dream in which nothing shall present itself to your tumultuous Thoughts that shall not bring its Pain You shall here pass and re-pass a hundred Designs that shall confound one another In fine Damon Anger Hatred and Revenge shall surround your Heart There they shall all together reign With mighty Force with mighty Pain In spight of Reason in Contempt of Love Sometimes by turns sometimes united move Five a Clock Quarrels in Dreams I Perceive you are not able to suffer all this Injustice nor can I permit it any longer and though you commit no Crime yourself yet you believe in this Dream that I complain of Injuries you do my Fame and that I am extreamly angry with a Jealousie so
fine my adorable Iris this Case shall be as near as I can like those delicate ones of Filligrin Work which do not hinder the Sight from taking a View of all within You may therefore see through this Heart all your Watch. Nor is my Desire of preserving this inestimable Piece more than to make it the whole Rule of my Life and Actions And my chiefest Design in these Cyphers is to comprehend in them the principal Vertues that are most necessary to Love Do not we know that Reciprocal Love is Justice Constant Love Fortitude Secret Love Prudence Though 't is true that Extream Love that is Excess of Love in one Sense appears not to be Temperance yet you must know my Iris that in Matters of Love Excess is a Vertue and that all other Degrees of Love are worthy Scorn alone 'T is this alone that can make good the glorious Title 'T is this alone that can bear the true Name of Love and this alone that can bear the true Name of Love and this alone that renders the Lovers truly happy in spight of all the Storms of Fate and Shocks of Fortune This is an Antidote against all other Griefs This bears up the Soul in all Calamity and is the very Heaven of Life the last Refuge of all Worldly Pain and Care and may well bear the Title of Divine The Art of Loving well That Love may all Perfection be Sweet Charming to the last Degree The Heart where the bright Flame does dwell In Faith and Softness shou'd excel Excess of Love shou'd fill each Vein And all its sacred Rites maintain The tend'rest Thoughts Heav'n can inspire Shou'd be the Fuel to its Fire And that like Incense burn as pure Or that in Vrns shou'd still endure No fond Desire shou'd fill the Soul But such as Honour may controul Jealousie I will allow Not the amorous Winds that blow Shou'd wanton in my Iris Hair Or ravish Kisses from my Fair. Not the Flowers that grow beneath Shou'd borrow Sweetness of her Breath If her Bird she do caress How I grudge its Happiness When upon her Snowy Hand The Wanton does triumphing stand Or upon her Brest she skips And lays her Beak to Iris Lips Fainting at my ravisht Joy I cou'd the Innocent destroy If I can no Bliss afford To a little harmless Bird Tell me O thou dear lov'd Maid What Reason cou'd my Rage perswade If a Rival shou'd invade If thy charming Eyes shou'd dart Looks that sally from the Heart If you sent a Smile or Glance To another tho' by Chance Still thou giv'st what 's not thy own They belong to me alone All Submission I wou'd pay Man was born the Fair t' obey Your very Look I 'd understand And thence receive your least Command Never your Justice will dispute But like a Lover execute I wou'd no Vsurper be But in claiming sacred thee I wou'd have all and every part No Thought shou'd hide within thy Heart Mine a Cabinet was made Where Iris Secrets shou'd be laid In the rest without Controul She shou'd triumph o're the Soul Prostrate at her feet I 'd lie Despising Power and Liberty Glorying more by Love to fall Than rule the Vniversal Ball. Hear me O you sawcy Youth And from my Maxims learn this Truth Wou'd you great and powerful prove Be an humble Slave to Love 'T is nobler far a Joy to give Than any Blessing to receive THE LADYs ' Looking Glass TO DRESS Herself by OR THE Whole ART OF CHARMING By Mrs. BEHN LONDON Printed by W. Onley for S. Briscoe 1697. THE Lady's Looking-Glass TO DRESS Herself by OR THE ART of Charming HOW long O charming Iris shall I speak in vain of your adorable Beauty You have been just and believe I love you with a Passion perfectly tender and extream and yet you will not allow your Charms to be infinite You must either accuse my Flames to be unreasonable and that my Eyes and Heart are false Judges of Wit and Beauty or allow that you are the most perfect of your Sex But instead of that you always accuse of me Flattery when I speak of your infinite Merit and when I refer you to your Glass you tell me that flatters as well as Damon though one wou'd imagine that shou'd be a good Witness for the Truth of what I say and undeceive you of the Opinion of my Injustice Look and confirm yourself that nothing can equal your Perfections All the World says it and you must doubt it no longer O Iris Will you dispute against the whole World But since you have so long distrusted your own Glass I have here presented you with one which I know is very true and having been made for you only can serve only you All other Glasses present all Objects but this reflects only Iris whenever you consult it it will convince you and tell you how much Right I have done you when I told you you were the fairest Person that ever Nature made When other Beauties look into it it will speak to all the fair Ones but let 'em do what they will 't will say nothing to their Advantage Iris to spare what you call flattery Consult your Glass each Hour of the Day 'T will tell you where your Charms and Beauties lie And where your little wanton Graces play Where Love does revel in your Face and Eyes What Look invites your Slaves and what denies Where all the Loves adorn you with such Care Where dress your Smiles where arm your lovely Eyes Where deck the flowing Tresses of your Hair How cause your Snowy Breasts to fall and rise How this severe Glance makes the Lover die How that more soft gives Immortality Where you shall see what 't is enslaves the Soul Where e'ry Feature e'ry Look combines When the adorning Air o're all the whole To so much Wit and so nice Vertue joyns Where the Belle Taille and Motion still afford Graces to be eternally ador'd But I will be silent now and let your Glass speak THE Lady's Looking-Glass DAmon O charming Iris has given me to you that you may sometimes give your self the Trouble and me the Honour of Consulting me in the great and weighty Affairs of Beauty I am my adorable Mistress a faithful Glass and you ought to believe all I say to you The Shape of IRIS I Must begin with your Shape and tell you without Flattery 't is the finest in the World and gives Love and Admiration to all that see you Pray observe how free and easie it is without Constraint Stiffness or Affectation those mistaken Graces of the Fantastick and the Formal who give themselves Pain to shew their Will to please and whose Dressing makes the greatest part of its Fineness when they are more oblig'd to the Taylor than to Nature who add or diminish as occasion serves to form a Grace where Heaven never gave it And while they remain on this Wreck of Pride they are eternally uneasie without pleasing
Tell me Oh tell me Charming Prophetess For you alone can tell my Love's Success The Lines in my dejected Face I fear will lead you to no kind Result It is your own that you must trace Those of your Heart you must consult 'T is there my Fortune I must learn And all that Damon does concern I tell you that I love a Maid As bright as Heav'n of Angel-hue The softest Nature ever made Whom I with Sighs and Vows pursue Oh tell me charming Prophetess Shall I this lovely Maid possess A thousand Rivals do obstruct my Way A thousand Fears they do create They throng about her all the Day Whilst I at awful Distance wait Say will the lovely Maid so fickle prove To give my Rivals Hope as well as Love She has a thousand Charms of Wit With all the Beauty Heav'n e're gave Oh! Let her not make use of it To flatter me into the Slave Oh! Tell me Truth to ease my Pain Say rather I shall die by her Disdain The Modesty of Iris. I Perceive fair Iris you have a Mind to tell me I have entertain'd you too long with a Discourse on yourself I know your Modesty makes this Declaration an offence and you suffer me with Pain to unveil those Treasures you wou'd hide Your Modesty that so commendable a Vertue in the Fair and so peculiar to you is here a little too severe Did I flatter you you shou'd blush Did I seek by praising you to shew an Art of Speaking finely you might chide But O Iris I say nothing but such plain Truths as all the World can witness are so And so far I am from Flattery that I seek no Ornament of Words Why do you take such Care to conceal your Vertues They have too much Lustre not to be seen in spight of all your Modesty Your Wit your Youth and Reason oppose themselves against this dull Obstructer of our Happiness Abate O Iris a little of this Vertue since you have so many other to defend yourself against the Attacks of your Adorers You yourself have the least Opinion of your own Charms And being the only Person in the World that is not in love with 'em you hate to pass whole Hours before your Looking-Glass and to pass your time like most of the idle Fair in dressing and setting off those Beauties which need so little Art You more wise disdain to give those Hours to the Fatigue of Dressing which you know so well how to employ a thousand Ways The Muses have blest you above your Sex and you know how to gain a Conquest with your Pen more absolutely than all the industrious Fair who trust to Dress and Equipage I have a thousand things to tell you more but willingly resign my place to Damon that faithful Lover he will speak more ardently than I For let a Glass use all its Force yet when it speaks its best it speaks but coldly If my Glass O charming Iris have the good Fortune which I cou'd never entirely boast to be believ'd 't will serve at least to convince you I have not been so guilty of Flattery as I have a thousand times been charg'd Since then my Passion is equal to your Beauty without Comparison or End believe O lovely Maid how I sigh in your Absence And be perswaded to lessen my pain and restore me to my Joys for there is no Torment so great as the Absence of a Lover from his Mistress of which this is the Idea The Effects of Absence from what we love Thou one continu'd Sigh all over Pain Eternal Wish but wish alas in vain Thou languishing impatient Hoper on A busie Toiler and yet still undone A breaking Glimpse of distant Day Inticing on and leading more astray Thou Joy in Prospect future Bliss extream But ne're to be possest but in a Dream Thou fab'lous Goddess which the ravish'd Boy In happy Slumbers proudly did enjoy But waking found an Airy Cloud he prest His Arms came empty to his panting Breast Thou Shade that only haunts the Soul by Night And when thou shou'dst inform thou fly'st the Sight Thou false Idea of the thinking Brain That labours for the charming Form in vain Which if by Chance it catch thou' rt lost again The End of the Looking-Glass THE Lucky Mistake A NEW NOVEL By Mrs. BEHN LONDON Printed by William Onley for S. Briscoe and T. Chapman 1697. THE Lucky Mistake A NEW NOVEL THe River Loyre has on its delightful Banks abundance of handsome beautiful and rich Towns and Villages to which the noble Stream adds no small Graces and Advantages blessing their Fields with Plenty and their Eyes with a thousand Diversions In one of these happily situated Towns called Orleance where abundance of People of the best Quality and Condition reside there was a rich Nobleman now retird from the busie Court where in his Youth he had been bred wearied with the Toyls of Ceremony and Noise to enjoy that perfect Tranquility of Life which is no where to be found but in Retreat a faithful Friend and a good Library and as the Admirable Horace says in a little House and large Gardens Count Bellyaurd for so was this Nobleman call'd was of this Opinion and the rather because he had one only Son call'd Rinaldo now grown to the Age of Fifteen who having all the excellent Qualities and Graces of Youth by Nature he would bring him up in all Vertues and noble Sciences which he believ'd the Gaiety and Lustre of the Court might divert He therefore in his Retirement spar'd no Cost to those that could instruct and accomplish him and he had the best Tutors and Masters that could be purchased at Court Bellyaurd making far less account of Riches than of fine Parts He found his Son capable of all Impressions having a Wit suitable to his delicate Person so that he was the sole Joy of his Life and the Darling of his Eyes In the very next House which joyn'd close to that of Bellyaurd's there liv'd another Count who had in his Youth been banish'd the Court of France for some Misunderstandings in some high Affairs wherein he was concern'd his name was De Pais a Man of great Birth but no Fortune or at least one not suitable to the Grandeur of his Original And as it is most natural for great Souls to be most proud if I may call a handsome Disdain by that vulgar Name when they are most depress'd so De Pais was more retir'd more â—strang'd from his Neighbours and kept a greater Distance than if he had enjoy'd all he had lost at Court and took more Solemnity and State upon him because he would not be subject to the Reproaches of the World by making himself familiar with it So that he rarely visited and was as rarely visited and contrary to the Custom of those in France who are easie of Excess and free of Conversation he kept his Family retir'd so close that 't was rare to see any of
'em but when they went abroad which was but seldom they wanted nothing as to outward appearance that was fit for his Quality and was much above his Condition This old Count had two only Daughters of exceeding Beauty who gave the generous Father Ten thousand Torments as often as he beheld them when he consider'd their extream Beauty their fine Wâ—â— their Innocence Modesty and above all their Birth and that he had not the Fortune to marry them according to their Quality and below it he had rather see them laid in their silent Graves than consent to for he scorn'd the World should see him forced by his Poverty to commit an Action below his Dignity There lived in a Neighbouring Town a certain Nobleman Friend to De Pais call'd Count Vernole a Man of about Forty Years of Age of low Stature Complexion very black and swarthy lean lame extream proud and haughty extracted of a Descent from the Blood-Royal not extreamly brave but very glorious He had no very great Estate but was in Election of a greater and of an Addition of Honour from the King his Father having done most worthy Services against the Hugonots and by the high Favour of Cardinal Mazarine was represented to his Majesty as a Man related to the Crown of great Name but small Estate so that there was now nothing but great Expectations and Preparations in the Family of Count Vernole to go to Court to which he daily hop'd an Invitation or Command Vernole's Fortune being hitherto something a kin to that of De Pais there was a greater Correspondency between these two Gentlemen than they had with any other Persons they accounting themselves above the rest of the World believ'd none so proper and fit for their Conversation as that of each other so that there was a very particular Intimacy between them Whenever they went abroad they clubb'd their Train to make one great Show and were always together bemoaning each other's Fortune that from so high a Descent as one from Monarchs by the Mother's side and the other from Dukes of his side they were reduc'd by Fate to the degree of private Gentlemen They would often consult how to manage Affairs most to advantage and often De Pais would ask Counsel of Vernole how best he should dispose of his Daughters which now were about their ninth Year the eldest and eight the youngest Vernole had often seen these two Buds of Beauty and already saw opening in Atlante's Face and Mind for that was the Name of the eldest and Charlot the youngest a Glory of Wit and Beauty which could not but one day display itself with dazling Lustre to the wondring World Vernole was a great Virtuoso of a Humour Nice Delicate Critical and Opinionative He had nothing of the French Mien in him but all the Gravity of the Don. His ill-favour'd Person and his low Estate put him out of Humour with the World and because that should not upbraid or reproach his Follies and Defects he was sure to be before-hand with that and to be always Satyrick upon it and lov'd to live and act contrary to the Custom and Usage of all Mankind besides He was infinitely delighted to find a Man of his own Humour in De Pais or at least a Man that would be perswaded to like his so well to live up to it and it was no little Joy and Satisfaction to him to find that he kept his Daughters in that severity which was wholly agreeable to him and so contrary to the Manner and Fashion of the French of Quality who allow all Freedoms which to Vernole's rigid Nature seem'd as so many Steps to Vice and in his Opinion the Ruiner of all Vertue and Honour in Woman-kind De Pais was extreamly glad his Conduct was so well interpreted which was no other in him than a proud Frugality who because they could not appear inso much Gallantry as their Quality requir'd kept 'em retir'd and unseen to all but his particular Friends of which Vernole was chief Vernole never appear'd before Atlante which was seldom but he assum'd a Gravity and Respect fit to have entertain'd a Maid of Twenty or rather a Matron of much greater Years and Judgment His Discourses were always of Matters of State or Philosophy and sometimes when De Pais would Laughing say He might as well entertain Atlante with Greek and Hebrew would reply gravely You are mistaken Sir I find the Seeds of great and profound Matter in the Soul of the young Maid which ought to be nourish'd now while she was young and they will grow up to very great Perfection I find Atlante capable of all the Noble Vertues of the Mind and am infinitely mistaken in my Observations and Art of Phisiognomy if Atlante be not born for greater Things than her Fortune does now promise She will be very Considerable in the World believe me and this will arrive to her perfectly from the Force of her Charms De Pais was extreamly overjoy'd to hear such Good prophesied to Atlante and from that time set a sort of an Esteem upon her which he did not on Charlot his younger who by the Perswasions of Vernole he resolv'd to put in a Monastery that what he had might descend to Atlante not but he confess'd Charlot had Beauty extreamly attractive and a Wit that promised much when it should be cultivated by Years and Experience and would shew itself with great Advantage and Lustre in a Monastery All this pleased De Pais very well who was easily perswaded since he had not a Fortune to marry her well in the World As yet Vernole had never spoke to Atlante of Love nor did his Gravity think it Prudence to discover his Heart to so young a Maid he waited her more sensible Years when he could hoope to have some return And all he expected from this her tender Age was by his daily Converse with her and the Presents he made her suitable to her Years to ingratiate himself insensibly into her Friendship and Esteem Since she was not yet capable of Love but even in that he mistook his Aim for every day he grew more and more disagreeable to Atlante and would have been her absolute Aversion had she known she had every day entertained a Lover but as she grew in Years and Sense he seemed the more despicable in her Eyes as to his Person but as she had respect to his Parts and Qualities she paid him all the Complaisance she could and which was due to him and so must be confess'd tho' he had a stiff Formality in all he said and did yet he had Wit and Learning and was a great Philosopher as much of his Learning as Atlante was capable of attaining to he made her Mistress of and that was no small Portion for all his Discourse was fine and easily comprehended his Notions of Philosophy fit for Ladies and he took greater Pains with Atlante than any Master would have done with
our Homes send me not to mine in a Despair that I cannot support with Life but tell me I shall be bless'd with your Sight sometimes in your Balcony which is very near to a jetting Window in our House from whence I have sent many a longing Look towards yours in hope to have seen my Soul's Tormenter I shall be very unwilling said she to enter into an Intreigue of Love or Friendship with a Man whose Parents will be averse to my Happiness and possibly mine as refractory tho' he cannot but know such an Alliance would be very considerable my Fortune being not suitable to yours I tell you this that you may withdraw in time from an Engagement in which I find there will be a great many Obstacles Oh! Madam replied Rinaldo sighing if my Person be not disagreeable to you you will have no occasion to fear the rest 't is that I dread and that which is all my fear He sighing beheld her with a languishing Look that told her he expected her Answer when she reply'd Sir if that will be Satisfaction enough for you at this time I do assure you I have no Aversion for your Person in which I find more to be valu'd than in any I have yet seen and if what you say be real and proceed from a Heart truly affected I find in spight of me you will oblige me to give you hope They were come so near their own Houses that he had not time to return her any Answer but with a low Bow he acknowledg'd her Bounty and express'd the Joy her last Words had given him by a Look that made her understand he was charm'd and pleas'd and she bowing to him with an Air of Satisfaction in her Face he was well assured there was nothing to be seen so lovely as she then appear'd and left her to go into her own House but 'till she was out of sight he had not power to stir and then sighing retired to his own Appartment to think over all that had past between them He found nothing but what gave him a thousand Joys in all she had said and he blest this happy Day and wondred how his Stars came so kind to make him one hour at once see Atlante and have the Happiness to know from her own Mouth that he was not disagreeable to her Yet with this Satisfaction he had a thousand Thoughts mix'd which were tormenting and those were the Fear of their Parents he foresaw from what his Father had said to him already that it would be difficult to draw him to a Consent of his Marriage with Atlante These Joys and Fears were his Companions all the Night in which he took but little rest Nor was Atlante without her Inquietudes She â—ound Rinaldo more in her Thoughts than she wish'd and a sudden change of Humour that made her know something was the matter with her more than usual she calls to mind Rinaldo's speaking of the Conversation with his Heart and â—ound hers would be tarling to her if she would give way to it and yet the more she strove to avoid it the more it importun'd her and in spight of all her Resistance would tell her that Rinaldo had a thousand Charms It tells her that he loves and adores her and that she would be the most cruel of her Sex should she not be sensible of his Passion She finds a thousand Graces in his Person and Conversation and as many Advantages in his Fortune which was one of the most considerable in all those Parts for his Estate exceeded that of the most Noble Men in Orleance and she imagines she would be the most fortunate of all Womankind in such a Match With these Thoughts she employ'd all the Hours of the Night so that she lay so long in Bed the next Day that Count Vernole who had invited himself to Dinner came before she had quitted her Chamber and she was forc'd to say she had not been well He had brought her a very fine Book newly come out of delicate Philosophy fit for the Study of Ladies But he appear'd so disagreeable to that Heart wholly taken up with a new and fine Object that she could now hardly pay him that Civility she was wont to do while on the other side that little State and Pride Atlante assum'd made her appear the more charming to him so that if Atlante had no Mind to begin a new Lesson of Philosophy while she fancied her Thoughts were much better employ'd the Count every Moment expressing his Tenderness and Passion had as little an Inclination to instruct her as she was to be instructed Love had taught her a new Lesson and he would fain teach her a new Lesson of Love but fears it will be a diminishing of his Gravity and Grandeur to open the Secrets of his Heart to so young a Maid he therefore thinks it more agreeable to his Quality and Years being about Forty to use her Father's Authority in this Affair and that it was sufficient for him to declare himself to Monsieur De Pais who he knew would be proud of the Honour he did him some time past before he could perswade himself even to declare himself to her Father he fancies the little Coldness and Pride he saw in Atlante's Face which was not usual proceeded from some Discovery of Passion which his Eyes had made or now and then a Sigh that unawares broke forth and accuses himself of a Levity below his Quality and the Dignity of his Wit and Gravity and therefore assumes a more rigid and formal Behaviour than he was wont which rendred him yet more disagreeable than before and 't was with greater Pain than ever she gave him that Respect which was due to his Quality Rinaldo after a restless Night was up very early in the Morning and tho' he was not certain of seeing his adorable Atlante he dress'd himself with all that care as if he had been to have waited on hers and got himself into the Window that overlook Monsieur De Pais his Balcony where he had not remain'd long before he saw the pretty Charlot come into it not with any design of seeing Rinaldo but to lock and gaze about her a little Rinaldo saw her and made her a very low Reverence and found some disordered Joy on the sight of even Charlot since she was Sister to Atlante He call'd to her for the Window â—â— was so near her he could easily be heard by her and told her He was infinitely indebted to her Bounty for giving him an opportunity yesterday of falling on that Discourse which had made him the happiest Man in the World He said if she had not by her agreeable Conversation encourag'd him and drawn him from one Word to another she should never have had the Confidence to have told Atlante how much he ador'd her I am very glad replied Charlot that I was the Occasion of the Beginning of an Amour which was displeasing to neither
while at a stand when Charlot with a Voice of Joy cried out Oh Sir we have been a Board of a fine little Ship At this Atlante blush'd fearing she would tell the Truth But she proceeded on and said that they had not been above a Quarter of an Hour at Church when the â—ady with some other Ladies and Cavaliers were going out of the Church and that spying them they wou'd needs have them go with 'em My Sister Sir continued she was very loath to go for fear you should be angry but my Lady was so importunate with her on one side and I on the other because I never saw a little Ship in my Life that at last we prevailed with her therefore good Sir be not angry He promised them he was not And when they came in they found Count Vernole who had been inspiring De Pais with Severity and counsell'd him to chide the young Ladies for being too long absent under pretence of going to their Devotion Nor was it enough for him to set the Father on but himself with a Gravity where Concern and Malice were both apparent reproach'd Atlante with Levity and told her He believ'd she had some other Motive than the Invitation of a Lady to go on Ship-board and that she had too many Lovers not to make them doubt that this was a design'd thing and that she had heard Love from some one for whom it was design'd To this she made him but a short Reply That if it was so she had no Reason to conceal it since she had Sence enough to look after herself and if any Body had made â—ove to her he might be assur'd it was some one whose Quality and Merit deserv'd to be heard And with a Look of Scorn she past on to another Room and left him silently raging within with Jealousie Which if before she tormented him this Declaration increas'd it to a Pitch not to be conceal'd And this Day he said so much to the Father that he resolv'd forthwith to send Charlot to a Nunnery And accordingly the next Day he bid her prepare to go Charlot who was not yet arrived to the Years of Distinction did not much regret it and having no Trouble but leaving her Sister she prepared to go to a Nunnery not many Streets from that where she dwelt The Lady Abbess was her Father's Kinswoman and had treated her very well as often as she came to visit her so that with Satisfaction enough she was condemned to a Monastick Life and was now going for her Probation-Year Atlante was troubled at her Departure because she had no Body to bring and to carry Letters between Rinaldo and she However she took her leave of her and promis'd to come and see her as often as she should be permitted to go abroad for she fear'd now some Constraint extraordinary would be put upon her and so it happen'd Atlante's Chamber was that to which the Balcony belong'd and though she durst not appear there in the Day-time she could in the Night and that way give her Lover as many Hours of Conversation as she pleased without being perceived But how to give Rinaldo notice of this she could not tell who not knowing Charlot was gone to a Monastery waited many Days at his Window to see her at last they neither of them knowing who to trust with any Message one Day when he was as usual upon his watch he saw Atlante step into the Balcony who having a â—etter in which she had put a Piece of Lead she tost it into his Window whose Casement was open and run in again unperceived by any but himself the Paper contain'd only this My Chamber is that which looks into the Balcony from whence tho' I cannot converse with you in the Day I can at Night when I am retired to go to Bed therefore be at your Window Farewel There needed no more to make him a diligent Watcher and accordingly she was no sooner retired to her Chamber but she would come into the Balcony where she fail'd not to see him attending at his Window This happy Contrivance was thus carry'd on for many Nights where they entertain'd one another with all the Indearment that two Hearts could dictate who were perfectly united and assured of each other and this pleasing Conversation would often last till Day appeared and forced them to part But old Belyuard perceiving his Son frequent that Chamber more than usual fancy'd something extraordinary must be the Cause of it and one Night asking for his Son his Vallet told him he was gone into the great Chamber so this was called Belyuard asked the Vallet what he did there he told him he could not tell for often he had lighted him thither and that his Master would take the Candle from him at the Chamber Door and suffer him to go no further Tho' the old Gentleman could not imagine what Affairs he could have alone every Night in that Chamber he had a Curiosity to see and one unlucky Night putting off his Shooes he came to the Door of the Chamber which was open he entered softly and saw the Candle set in the Chimney and his Son at a great open Bay Window he stopt a while to wait when he would turn but finding him immovable he advanced something further and at last heard the soft Dialogue of Love between him and Atlante whom he knew to be she by his often calling her by her Name in their Discourse He heard enough to confirm him how Matters went and unseen as he came he returned full of Indignation and thought how to prevent so great an Evil as this Passion of his Son might produce at first he thought to round him severely in the Ear about it and upbraid him for doing the only thing he had thought fit to forbid him but then he thought that would but terrifie him for a while and he would return again where he had so great an Inclination if he were near her He therefore resolves to send him to Paris that by absence he might forget the young Beauty that had charmed his Youth Therefore without letting Rinaldo know the Reason and without taking notice that he knew any thing of his Amour he came to him one Day and told him all the Masters he had for the improving him in noble Sciences were very dull or very remiss and that he resolved he should go for a Year or two to the Academy at Paris To this the Son made a thousand Evasions but the Father was positive and not to be perswaded by all his Reasons and finding he should absolutely displease him if he refused to go and not daring to tell him the dear Cause of his Desire to remain at Orleance He therefore with a breaking Heart consents to go nay resolves it though it should be his Death But alas he considers that this parting will not only prove the greatest Torment upon Earth to him but that Atlante will share in his
Misfortunes also This Thought gives him a double Torment and yet finds no way to evade it The Night that finished this fatal Day he goes again to his wonted Station the Window where he had not sig'hd very long but he saw Atlante enter the Balcony He was not able a great while to speak to her or to utter one Word The Night was light enough to see him at the wonted place and she admires at his Silence and demands the Reason in such obliging Terms as adds to his Grief and he with a deep Sigh replied Vrge me not my fair Atlante to speak lest by obeying you I give you more cause of Grief than my Silence is capable of doing And then sighing again he held his Peace and gave her leave to ask the Cause of these last Words But when he made no Reply but by sighing she imagin'd it much worse than indeed it was and with a trembling and fainting Voice she cried Oh! Rinaldo give me leave to divine that cruel News you are so unwilling to tell me It is so added she you are destined to some more fortunate Maid than Atlante At this Tears stopp'd her Speech and she could utter no more No my dearest Charmer replyed Rinaldo elevating his Voice if that were all you should see with what Fortitude I would die rather than obey any such Commands I am vowed yours to the last Moment of my Life and will be yours in spight of all the Opposition in the World that Cruelty I could evade but cannot this that threatens me Ah! cried Atlante let Fate do her worst so she still continue Rinaldo mine and keep that Faith he hath sworn to me entire What can she do beside that can afflict me She can separate me cried he for some time from Atlante Oh! replied she all Misfortunes fall so below that which I first imagined that methinks I do not resent this as I should otherwise have done but I know when I have a little more considered it I shall even die with the Grief of it Absence being so great an Enemy to Love and makes us soon forget the Object beloved This though I never experienced I have heard and fear it may be my Fate He then convinced her Fear with a thousand new Vows and a thousand Imprecations of Constancy She then asked him If their Loves were discovered that he was with such haste to depart He told her Nothing of that was the Cause and he could almost wish it were discovered since he could resolutely then refuse to go But it was only to cultivate his Mind more effectually than he could do here 't was the Care of his Father to accomplish him the more and therefore he could not contradict it But said he I am not sent where Seas shall part us nor vast distances of Earth but to Paris from whence he might come in two Days to see her again and that he would expect from that Balcony that had gave him so many happy Moments many more when he should come to see her He besought her to send him away with all the Satisfaction she could which she could no otherwise do than by giving him new Assurances that she would never give away that Right he had in her to any other Lover She vows this with innumerable Tears and is almost angry with him for questioning her Faith He tells her then he has but one Night more to stay and his Grief would be unspeakable if he should not be able to take a better Leave of her than at a Window and that if she would give him leave he would by a Rope or two tied together so as it may serve for Steps ascend her Balcony he not having time to provide a Ladder of Ropes She tells him she has so great a Confidence in his Vertue and Love that she will refuse him nothing though it would be a very bold venture for a Maid to trust herself with a passionate young Man in silence of Night and though she did not exert a Vow from him to secure her she expected he would have a Care of her Honour He swore to her his Love was too Religious for so base an Attempt There needed not many Vows to confirm her Faith and it was agreed on between them that he should come the next Night into her Chamber It happened that Night as it often did that Count Vernole lay with Monsieur De Pays which was in a Ground-Room just under that of Atlante's And as soon as she knew all were in Bed she gave the Word to Rinaldo who was attending with the Impatience of a passionate Lover below under the Window and who sooner heard the Balcony open but he ascended with some difficulty and entered the Châ—mber where he found Atlante tremble with Joy and Fear He throws himself at her Feet as unable to speak as she who nothing but blushed and bent down her Eyes hardly daring to glance them towards the dear Object of her Desires the Lord of all her Vows She was was ashamed to see a Man in her Chamber where yet none had ever been alone and by Night too He saw her Fear and felt her Trembling and after a thousand Sighs of Love had made way for Speech he besought her to fear nothing from him for his Flame was too sacred and his Passion too holy to offer any thing but what Honour with Love might afford him At last he brought her to some Courage and the Roses of her fair Cheeks assumed their wonted Colour not blushing too Red nor languishing too Pale But when the Conversation began between them it was the softest in the World They said all that parting Lovers could say all that Wit and Tenderness could express They exchanged their Vows a-new and to confirm his he tied a Bracelet of Diamonds about her Arm and she returned him one of her Hair which he had long begged and she had on purpose made which clasped together with Diamonds this she put about his Arm and he swore to carry it to his Grave The Night was very far spent in tender Vows soft Sighs and Tears on both sides and it was high time to part But as if Death had been to have arrived to them in that Minute they both linger'd away the time like Lovers who had forgot themselves and Day was near approaching when he bid farewel which he repeated very often for still he was interrupted by some commanding Softness from Atlante and then lost all his Power of going till she more couragious and careful of his Interest and her own Fame forc'd him from her and it was happy she did so for he was no sooner got over the Balcony and she had flung him down his Rope and shut the Door but Vernole whom Love and Contrivance kept waking fancied several times he heard a Noise in Atlante's Chamber And whether in passing over the Balcony Rinaldo made any noise or not or whether it were still his jealous Fancy
and trembling cry'd Well Sir now you are satisfied since you have seen Atlante married to Count Vernole I hope now you will give your unfortunate Son leave to die as you wish'd he should rather than give him to the Arms of Atlante Here his Speech failed and he fell again into a Fit of Swoooning His Father ready to die with Fear of his Son's Death kneeled down by his Bed-side and after having recovered him a little he said My dear Son I have been indeed at the Wedding of Count Vernole but 't is not to Atlante to whom he is married but Charlot who was the Person you were bearing from the Monastery instead of Atlante who is still reserved for you and is dying â—till she hear you are reserved for her Therefore as you regard her Life make much of your own and make your self fit to receive her For her Father and I have agreed the Marriage already And without giving him leave to thank him he called to one of his Gentlemen and sent him to the Monastery with this News to Atlante Rinaldo bowed himself as low as he could in his Bed and kiss'd the Hand of his Father with Tears of Joy But his Weakness continued all next Day and they were fain to bring Atlante to him to confirm his Happiness It must only be guessed by Lovers the perfect Joy these two received in the sight of each other Bellyuard received her as his Daughter and the next Day made her so with very great Solemnity at which were Vernole and Charlot Between Rinaldo and him was concluded a perfect Peace and all thought themselves happy in this double Union FINIS MEMOIRS ON THE COURT OF THE King of Bantam A NOVEL WRITTEN By Mrs. A. BEHN LONDON Printed for Samuel Briscoe near Covent-Garden 1697. THE COURT OF THE King of Bantam THIS Money certainly is a most Dev'lish Thing I 'm sure the want of it had like to have ruin'd my dear Philibella in her Love to Valentine Goodland who was really a pretty deserving Gentleman Heir to about Fifteen-hundred Pound a Year which however did not so much recommend him as the Sweetness of his Temper the Comeliness of his Person and the Excellency of his Parts In all which Circumstances my obliging Acquaintance equall'd him unless in the advantage of their Fortune Old Sir George Goodland knew of his Son's Passion for Philibella and though he was Generous and of an Humour sufficiently Complying yet he cou'd by no means think it convenient that his only Son shou'd marry with a young Lady of so slender a Fortune as my Friend who had not above Five hundred Pound and that the Gift of her Uncle Sir Philip Friendly though her Vertue and Beauty might have deserv'd and have adorn'd the Throne of an Alexander or Caesar Sir Philip himself indeed was but a Younger Brother though of a Good Family and of a Generous Education which with his Person Bravery and Wit recommended him to his Lady Philadelphia Widow of Sir Bartholomew Banquier who left her possess'd of Two thousand Pound per Annum besides Twenty thousand Pound in Money and Jewels which oblig'd him to get himself Dubb'd that she might not descend to an inferior Quality When he was in Town he liv'd Let me see in the Strand or as near as I can remember somewhere about Charing-Cross where first of all Mr. Wou'd be King a Gentleman of a large Estate in Houses Land and Money of a haâ—ghty extravagant and profuse Humour very fond of every new Face had the misfortune to fall passionately in love with Philibella who then liv'd with her Uncle This Mr. Wou'd be it seems had often been told when he was yet a Stripling either by one of his Nurses by his own Grand-mother or by some other Gypsie that he shou'd infallibly be what his Sirname imply'd a King by Providence or Chance e're he dy'd or never This glorious Prophecy had so great an Influence on all his Thoughts and Actions that he distributed and dispers'd his Wealth sometimes so largely that one wou'd ha' thought he had undoubtedly been King of some part of the Indies to see a Present made to day of a Diamond-Ring worth Two or Three hundred Pound to Madam Flippant tomorrow a large Chest of the finest China to my Lady Fleecewell and next day perhaps a rich Necklace of large Oriental Pearl with a Locquet to it of Saphires Emeralds Rubies c. to pretty Miss Ogleme for an Amorous Glance for a Smile and it may be though but rarely for the mighty Blessing of one single Kiss But such were his Largesses not to reckon his Treats his Balls and Serenades besides that at the same time he had marry'd a Vertuous Lady and of Good Quality but her Relation to him it may be fear'd made her very disagreeable For a Man of his Humour and Estate can no more be satisfy'd with one Woman than with one Dish of Meat And to say truth 't is something unmodish However he might ha' dy'd a pure Celibate and altogether unexpert of Woman had his good or bad hopes only terminated in Sir Philip's Niece But the Brave and Haughty Mr. Wou'd be was not to be baulk'd by Appearances of Virtue which he thought all Womankind did only affect besides he promis'd himself the Victory over any Lady whom he attempted by the force of his damn'd Money though her Virtue were never so real and strict With Philibella he found another pretty young Creature very like her who had been a quondam Mistress to Sir Philip He with young Goodland was then diverting his Mistress and Niece at a Game of Cards when Wou'd be came to visit him he found 'em very merry with a Flasque of Claret or two before 'em and Oranges roasting by a large Fire for it was Christmas-time The Lady Friendly underderstanding that this Extraordinary Man was with Sir Philip in the Parlour came in to 'em to make the number of both Sexes equal as well as in hopes to make up a Purse of Guinea's toward the purchase of some new fine bus'ness that she had in her head from his accustom'd Design of losing at play to her Indeed she had part of her Wish for she got Twenty Guinea's of him Philibella Ten and Lucy Sir Philip's Quondam Five Not but that Wou'd be intended better Fortune to the young ones than he did to Sir Philip's Lady but her Ladyship was utterly unwilling to give him over to their Management though at the last When they were all tir'd with the Cards after Wou'd be had said as many obliging things as his present Genius wou'd give him leave to Philibella and Lucy especially to the first not forgetting his Baisemains to the Lady Friendly he bid the Knight and Goodland adieu but with a Promise of repeating his Visit at six a clok in the Evening o' Twelfth-day to renew the famous and ancient Solemnity of Chusing King and Queen to which Sir Philip before invited him with
't is that which possibly he designs on you I know him Brave as any Man However were it convenient that the Sword shou'd determine betwixt you you shou'd not want mine The Affront is partly to me since done in my House But I 've already laid down safer measures for us though of more fatal consequence to him that is I 've form'd 'em in my Thoughts Dismiss your Coach and Equipage all but one Servant and I will discourse it to you at large 'T is now past Twelve and if you please I wou'd invite you to take up as easie a Lodging here as my House will afford Accordingly they were dismiss'd and he proceeded As I hinted to you before he is in love with my youngest Niece Philibella but her Fortune not exceeding Five hundred Pound his Father will assuredly disinherit him if he marries her though he has given his Consent that he shou'd marry her Eldest Sister whose Father dying e're he knew his Wife was with Child of the Youngest left Lucy Three thousand Pounds being as much as he thought convenient to match her handsomly and accordingly the Nuptials of Young Goodland and Lucy are to be celebrated next Easter They shall not if I can hinder 'em interrupted his offended Majesty Never endeavour the obstruction said the Knight for I 'll shew you the way to a dearer Vengeance Women are Women your Majesty knows she may be won to your Embraces before that time and then you antedate him your Creature A Cuckold you mean cry'd King in Fansie O Exquisite Revenge But can you consent that I shou'd attempt it What is 't to me we live not in Spain where all the Male Relations of the Family are oblig'd to vindicate a Whore No I wou'd wound him in his most Tender Part. But how shall we compass it ask'd t'other Why thus Throw away Three thousand Pounds on the Youngest Sister as a Portion to make her as happy as she can be in her new Lover Sir Frederick Flygold an Extravagant young Fop and wholly given over to Gaming so ten to one but you may retrieve your Money of him and have the two Sisters at your devotion Oh Thou my better Genius than that which was given to me by Heav'n at my birth What Thanks what Praises shall I return and sing to Thee for this cry'd King Conundrum No Thanks no Praises I beseech your Majesty since in this I gratifie my selfe You think I am your Friend And you will agree to this said Friendly by way of Question Most readily return'd the Fop-King Wou'd it were broad-Day that I might send for the Money to my Bankers for in all my Life in all my Frolicks Encounters and Extravagancies I never had one so grateful and pleasant as this will be if you are in earnest to gratifie both my Love and Revenge That I am in earnest you will not doubt when you see with what Application I shall pursue my Design In the mean time My Duty to your Majesty To our good Success in this Affair While he drank t'other return'd With all my Heart and pledg'd him Then Friendly began afresh Leave the whole Management of this to me only one thing more I think necessary that you make a Present of Five hundred Guinea's to Her Majesty the Bride that must be By all means return'd the wealthy King of Bantam I had so design'd before Well Sir said Sir Philip what think you of a Sett Party or two at Piquet to pass away some few hours till we can sleep A seasonable and welcome Proposition return'd that King but I won't play above Twenty Guinea's the Game and Forty the Lurch Agreed said Friendly First call in your Servant mine is here already The Slave came in and they began with unequal fortune at first for the Knight had lost an Hundred Guinea's to Majesty which he paid in Specie and then propos'd Fifty Guinea's the Game and an Hundred the Lurch To which t'other consented and without winning more than three Games and those not together made shift to get Three thousand two hundred Guinea's in debt to Sir Philip For which Majesty was pleas'd to give him Bond whether Friendly wou'd or no Seal'd and Deliver'd in the Presence of The Mark of W. Will. Watchful And S. Sim. Slyboots A Couple of delicate Beagles their mighty Attendants It was then about the hour that Sir Philip's and it may be other Ladies began to Yawn and Stretch when the Spirits Refresh'd Troul'd about and Tickl'd the Blood with Desires of Action which made Majesty and Worship think of a Retreat to Bed where in less than Half an hour or before ever he could say his Prayers I 'm sure the first â—ell fast asleep but the last perhaps paid his accustom'd Devotion e're he began his Progress to the Shadow of Death However he wak'd earlier than his Cully-Majesty and got up to receive young Goodland who came to his Word with the first Opportunity Sir Philip receiv'd him with more than usual Joy though not with greater Kindness and let him know every Syllable and Accident that had pass'd between 'em till they went to bed which you may believe was not a little pleasantly surprising to Valentine who began then to have some Assurance of his Happiness with Philibella His Friend told him that he must now be reconcil'd to his Mock-Majesty though with some difficulty and so taking one hearty Glass a piece he left Valentine in the Parlour to carry the ungrateful News of his Visit to him that Morning King was in an odd sort of Taking when he heard that Valentine was Below and had been as Sir Philip inform'd Majesty at Majesty's Palace to enquire for him there but when he told him that he had already school'd him on his own behalf for the Affront done in his House and that he believ'd he cou'd bring his Majesty off without any loss of present Honour his Countenance visibly discover'd his past Fear and present Satisfaction which was much encreas'd too when Friendly shewing him his Bond for the Money he won of him at Play let him know that if he paid Three thousand Guinea's to Philibella he wou'd immediately deliver him up his Bond and not expect the Two hundred Guinea's Over-plus His Majesty of Bantam was then in so good an humour that he cou'd have made love to Sir Philip nay I believe he cou'd a kiss'd Valentine instead of seeming angry Down they came and saluted like Gentlemen But after the Greeting was over Goodland began to talk something of Affront Satisfaction Honour c. when immediately Friendly interpos'd and after a little seeming Uneasiness and Reluctancy reconcil'd the Hot and Cholerick Youth to the Cold Phlegmatick King Peace was no sooner proclaim'd than the King of Bantan took his Rival and late Antâ—gonist with him in his own Coach not excluding Sir Philip by any means to Locket's where they Din'd Thence he wou'd have 'em to Court with him where he met the Lady
and hurry'd to Lucy to lament the ill treatment he had met with from Friendly They Coo'd and Bill'd as long as He was able she Sweet Hypocrite seeming to ' moan his Misfortunes which he took so kindly that when he left her which was about Three in the Afternoon he caus'd a Scrivener to draw up an Instrument wherein he settl'd a Hundred Pounds a Year on Lucy for her Life and gave her an Hundred Guinea's more against her Lying-in For she told him and indeed 't was true that she was with Child and knew her self to be so from a very good Reason And indeed she was so by the Friendly Knight When he return'd to her he threw the Obliging Instrument into her Lap it seems he had a particular Kindness for that Place then call'd for Wine and something to eat for he had not drank a Pint to his share all the day tho' he had ply'd it at the Chocolate-house The Landlady who was invited to Sup with 'em bid 'em Good-night about Eleven when they went to bed and partly slept till about Six when they were entertain'd by some Gentlemen of their Acquaintance who Play'd and Sung very finely by way of Epithalamium these words and more Joy to Great Bantam Live long Love and Wanton And thy Royal Consort For Both are of one sort c. The rest I have forgot He took some offence at the Words but more at the Visit that Sir Philip and Goodland made him about an hour after who found him in Bed with his Royal Consort and after having wish'd 'em Joy and thrown their Majesties own Shooes and Stockings at their Heads retreated This gave Monarch in Fansie so great a Caution that he took his Royal Consort into the Countrey but above Forty Miles off the Place where his own Lady was where in less than Eight Months she was Deliver'd of a Princely Babe who was Christen'd by the Heathenish Name of Hayoumorecake Bantam while her Majesty Lay-in like a petty Queen FINIS THE NUN OR THE Perjur'd Beauty A True HISTORY BY Mrs. A. BEHN LONDON Printed for Samuel Briscoe near Covent-Garden 1697. THE NUN OR THE Perjur'd Beauty DOn Henrique was a Person of Great Birth of a Great Estate of Bravery equal to either of a most Generous Education but of more Passion than Reason He was besides of an Opener and Freer Temper than generally his Countrey-men are I mean the Spaniards always engag'd in some Love-Intrigue or other One Night as he was retreating from one of those Engagements Don Sebastian whose Sister he had abus'd with a Promise of Marriage set upon him at the Corner of a Street in Madrid and by the help of three of his Friends design'd to have dispatcht him on a doubtful Embassy to the Almighty Monarch But he receiv'd their first Instructions with better Address than they expected and dismiss'd his Envoy first killing one of Don Sebastian's Friends Which so enrag'd the Injur'd Brother that his Strength and Resolution seem'd to be redoubl'd and so animated his two surviving Companions that doubtless they had gain'd a dishonourable Victory had not Don Antonio accidentally come in to his Rescue who after a very short Dispute kill'd one of the two who attack'd him only whilst Don Henrique with the greatest difficulty defended his Life for some moments against Sebastian whose Rage depriv'd him of Strength and gave his Adversary the unwish'd Advantage of his seeming Death though not without bequeathing some Bloody Legacies to Don Henrique Antonio had receiv'd but one slight Wound in the Left Arm and his surviving Antagonist none who however thought it not adviseable to begin a freâ—â—h Dispute against two of whose Courage he â—â—d but too fatal a Proof though one of 'em 〈◊〉 sufficiently disabl'd The Conquerors on â—â—e other side politickly Retreated and quitting the Field to the Conquer'd left the Living to bury the Dead if he cou'd or thought convenient As they were marching off Don Antonio who all this while knew not whose Life he had so happily preserv'd told his Companion in Arms that he thought it indispensably necessary that he should quarter with him that Night for his further Preservation To which he prudently consented and went with no little uneasiness to his Lodgings where he surpriz'd Antonio with the sight of his Dearest Friend For they had certainly the nearest Sympathy in all their Thoughts that ever made two Brave Men unhappy And undoubtedly nothing but Death or more Fatal Love cou'd have divided ' em However at present they were united and secure In the mean time Don Sebastian's Friend was just going to call help to carry off the Bodies as the came by who seeing three Men lie dead seiz'd the fourth who as he was about to justifie himself by discovering one of the Authors of so much Bloodshed was interrupted by a Groan from his suppos'd dead Friend Don Sebastian whom after a brief account of some part of the matter and the knowledge of his Quality they took up and carry'd to his House where within a few days he was recover'd past the fear of Death All this while Henrique and Antonio durst not appear so much as by Night nor cou'd be found though diligent and daily search was made after the first but upon Don Sebastian's Recovery the Search ceasing they took the advantage of the Night and in Disguize retreated to Sevil. 'T was there they thought themselves most secure where indeed they were in the greatest danger for tho' hap'ly they might there have escap'd the murtherous Attempt of Don Sebastian and his Friends yet they cou'd not there avoid the malicious Influence of their Stars This City gave Birth to Antonio and to the cause of his greatest Misfortunes as well as of his Death Donna Ardelia was born there a Miracle of Beauty and Falshood 'T was more than a Year since Don Antonio had first seen and lov'd her For 't was impossible any Man shou'd do one without t'other He had had the unkind opportunity of speaking and conveying a Billette to her at Church and to his greater misfortune the next time he found her there he met with too kind a return both from her Eyes and from her Hand which privately slipt a Paper into his in which he found abundantly more than he expected directing him in that how he shou'd proceed in order to carry her off from her Father with the least danger he cou'd look for in such an Attempt since it wou'd have been vain and fruitless to have ask'd her of her Father because their Families had been at enmity for several Years though Antonio was as well descended as she and had as ample a Fortune nor was his Person according to his Sex any way inferior to her's and certainly the Beauties of his Mind were more excellent especially if it be an Excellence to be Constant He had made several Attempts to take possession of her but all prov'd ineffectual however he had the good fortune
not to be known tho' once or twice he narrowly ' scap'd with Life bearing off his Wounds with difficulty Alas that the Wounds of Love shou'd cause those of Hate Upon which she was strictly confin'd to one Room whose only Window was towards the Garden and that too was Grated with Iron and once a Month when she went to Church she was constantly and carefully attended by her Father and a Mother-in-Law worse than a Duegna Under this miserable Confinement Antonio understood she still continu'd at his return to Sevil with Don Henrique whom he acquainted with his invincible Passion for her lamenting the severity of her present circumstances that admitted of no prospect of relief which caus'd a generous Concern in Don Henrique both for the Sufferings of his Friend and of the Lady He propos'd several ways to Don Antonio for the Release of the Fair Prisoner but none of 'em was thought practicable or at least likely to succeed But Antonio who you may believe was then more nearly engag'd bethought himself of an Expedient that wou'd undoubtedly reward their Endeavours 'T was That Don Henrique who was very well acquainted with Ardelia's Father shou'd make him a Visit with pretence of begging his Consent and Admission to make his Addresses to his Daughter which in all probability he cou'd not refuse to Don Henrique's Quality and Estate And then this freedom of access to her wou'd give him the opportunity of delivering the Lady to his Friend This was thought so reasonable that the very next day it was put in practice and with so good success that Don Henrique was receiv'd by the Father of Ardelia with the greatest and most respectful Ceremony imaginable And when he made the Proposal to him of Marrying his Daughter it was embrac'd with a visible Satisfaction and Joy in the Air of his Face This their first Conversation ended with all imaginable Content on both Sides Don Henrique being invited by the Father to Dinner the next day when Donna Ardelia was to be present who at that time was said to be indispos'd as 't is very probable she was with so close an Imprisonment Henrique return'd to Antonio and made him happy with the Account of his Reception which cou'd not but have terminated in the perfect Felicity of Antonio had his Fate been just to the Merits of his Love The Day and Hour came which brought Henrique with a private Commission from his Friend to Ardelia He saw her Ah! wou'd he had only seen her Veil'd and with the first opportunity gave her the Letter which held so much Love and so much Truth as ought to have preserv'd him in the Empire of her Heart It contain'd besides a Discovery of his whole Design upon her Father for the compleating of their Happiness which nothing then cou'd obstruct but her self But Henrique had seen her he had gaz'd and swallow'd all her Beauties at his Eyes How greedily his Soul drank the strong Poyson in But yet his Honour and his Friendship were strong as ever and bravely fought against the Usurper Love and got a noble Victory at least he thought and wish'd so With this and a short Answer to his Letter Henrique return'd to the Longing Antonio who receiving the Paper with the greatest Devotion and kissing it with the greatest Zeal open'd and read these words to himself Don ANTONIO YOu have at last made use of the best and only Expedient for my Enlargement for which I thank you since I know it is purely the Effect of your Love Your Agent has a mighty Influence on my Father And you may assure your self that as you have Advis'd and Desir'd me he shall have no less on me till I am Your's entirely And only Your's ARDELIA Having respectfully and tenderly kiss'd the Name he cou'd not chuse but shew the Billette to his Friend who reading that part of it which concern'd himself started and blush'd Which Antonio observing was curious to know the cause of it Henrique told him That he was surpriz'd to find her express so little Love after so long an Absence To which his Friend reply'd for her That doubtless she had not Time enough to attempt so great a Matter as a perfect Account of her Love and added That it was Confirmation enough to him of its continuance since she Subscrib'd her self His entirely and only His. How Blind is Love Don Henrique knew how to make it bear another meaning which however he had the Discretion to conceal Antonio who was as Real in his Friendship as Constant in his Love ask'd him what he thought of her Beauty To which t'other answer'd That he thought it irresistible to any but to a Soul prepossess'd and nobly fortify'd with a perfect Friendship Such as is Thine my Henrique added Antonio yet as sincere and perfect as that is I know you must nay I know you do Love her As I ought I do reply'd Henrique Yes Yes return'd his Friend it must be so otherwise the Sympathy which unites our Souls wou'd be wanting and consequently our Friendship were not in a state of Perfection How industriously you wou'd argue me into a Crime that wou'd tear and destroy the very Foundation of the strongest Ties of Truth and Honour said Henrique But he continu'd I hope within a few Days to put it out of my power to be guilty of so great a Sacrilege I can't determine said Antonio if I knew that you Lov'd one another whether I cou'd easier part with my Friend or my Mistress Tho' what you say is highly Generous reply'd Henrique yet give me leave to urge that it looks like a Trial of your Friend and argues you inclinable to Jealousie But Pardon me I know it to be sincerely meant by you and must therefore own that 't is the Best because 't is the Noblest way of securing both your Friend and Mistress I need make use of no Arts to secure me of either reply'd Antonio but expect to enjoy 'em both in a little time Henrique who was a little uneasie with a Discourse of this nature diverted it by reflecting on what had pass'd at Madrid between them two and Don Sebastian and his Friends which caus'd Antonio to bethink himself of the Danger to which he expos'd his Friend by appearing daily tho' in Disguise For doubtless Don Sebastian wou'd pursue his Revenge to the utmost Extremity These Thoughts put him upon desiring his Friend for his own sake to hasten the performance of his Attempt and accordingly each day Don Henrique brought Antonio the nearer hopes of Happiness while he himself was hourly sinking into the lowest state of Misery The last Night before the Day in which Antonio expected to be bless'd in her Love Don Henrique had a long and fatal Conference with her about his Liberty Being then with her alone in an Arbour of the Garden which Privilege he had had for some days After a long silence and observing Don Henrique in much disorder by the Motion